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MEMOIRS 


or 


THE  LIFE  AND  LABOURS 


OF 


ROBERT  MORRISON,  d.d. 

F  R.8.,  M.R.A^.,  MEMBER  OF  THE  SOCIETY  A8IATIQUE  OF  PARIS,  au.lic. 


COMPILED 


BY  HIS  WIDOW; 


WITH 


CRITICAL  NOTICES  OF  HIS  CHINESE  WORKS.  BY  SAMUEL  KIDD, 


AWB 


9n  fljppenWx  contammg  Original  9o<umento. 


'*  lie  being  dead  yet  speaketh."— H^.  xii.  4. 


IN  TWO  VOLUMES, 
VOL.   II. 


LONDON : 
LONGMAN,  ORME,  BROWN,  GREEN,  AND  LONGMANS. 


MDCCCXXXIX. 


THOMS, 

PKIWTKK  AND  •TltKKOTTPra.   Ig,  WARWICK  •QOAKR« 

LONDON. 


jLo8785 


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CONTENTS   OF  VOLUME   11. 


PERIOD  IV. 

PBOM    THE   FOUNDING    OF  THE   ANGLO-CHINESE   COLLEGE,    TO 

HIS   BETTTRN   TO   ENGLAND. 


A.  D.  1819—1822. 


SECTION  VI. 


Page 


1820. — TraniUtion  of    the  Bible  completed.—Correfpondence,  Do- 
mefltic,  Religious,  and  literary.— State  of  the  Poor  in  China,  v^ 
—State  of  the  Poor  among  the  Portngnese.— Dispensarj  at 
Macao.— Letter  to  J.  Reyner,  Esq.— Letter  to  M.  Remnsat. — 
Ditto  to  Principal  Bairdi— Return  of  Mrs.  Morrison  to  China. 
— Letter  to  W.  Alers  Hankey,  Esq.— Letter  from  Colonel  Far- 
quhar. — Extracts  from  Letters  to  Relatives.— Laws  and  Statutes 
of  the  Anglo-Chinese  College,  with  its  Deed.— Letter  from  the 
RcT.  W.  Milne.— Rules  of  the  College.— College  Studies — \y^ 
Works  Printed  at  the  Malacca  Press.—Mr.Maijoribanks' opinion 
of  the    College. — Letter  from  the  Select  Committee. — Ditto 
from  the  Rct.  W.  Milne — From  Messrs.  Leddige  and  Son — and 
J.  Livingstone,  Esq.  on  Botany.— From  Dr.  Worcester. — From 
Dr.  Proudfitt.-D.  W.  C.  Olyphant,   Esq — From    Rct.   Mr. 

1821. — Death  of  Mrs.  Morrison. — Letter  from  D.  W.  C.  Olyphant,  Esq. 
Milne — From  C.  R.  Crommelin,  Esq — From  Rev.  Alexander 
Ross — From  Sir  George  T.  Staunton — From  the  Rct.  G.  Burder  1 — 97 
— From  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society— From  the  Lon- 
don Missionary  Society— The  Presentation  of  a  Bible  to  Dr. 
Morrison  by  the  American  Bible  Society, — Letter  from  the 
ReT.  H.  Bingham — From  Petror  Rickards,  Esq.,  GoTemor 
of  Port  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul— From  Robert  Ralston,  Esq.— 
From  the  American  Board  of  Foreign  Missions — From  the 
Rev.W,  Milne — From  Dr.  Marse— From  Rct.  W.  Jinks — From 
Earl  Amherst— From  Sir  George  T.  Staunton — and  from  the 
Hon.  J.  Hayne 98—137 


IV  CONTENTS    OF   VOLUME    II. 


SECTION  VI. 


A.  D.  1822—1824. 


Page 
.)822. — ^Remarki  on  Homicide.-rHomicide8  at  Lintin.~Sir  J.  Urm-  \^ 
ston*s  Testimony  of  Dr.  Morrison's  Talents.— His  Children 
depart    for    England. — Letter   to   Mr.    James  Morrison— 
From  Rer.  Dr.  Milne,  with  Answer  to  ditto — From  Mr.  6. 
Huttmann,    communicating  the    Death    of   the   Rev.    Dr. 
Milne. — Letter  to  the  Bible  Society — ^To  the  Religious  Tract 
Society— .To  Mrs.  S. — To  Mrs.  James  Morrison. — An  Address  \^ 
to  the  Foreign  Christian  Community  in  China.^Letter  from 
Mr.  Mortlock—From  Mr.  6.  F.  Mathison.— From  Sir  6. 
T.  Staunton,  Bart.,  with  Reply. — Fire  at  Canton. — Letter  to 
the  London  Missionary  Society. — Review  of  the  first  Fifteen 
Years  of  the  Mission,  addressed  to  "W.  A.  Hankey,  Esq.—  138 — 190 
1823 — Visit  to  Malacca. — Singapore  Institution  Founded — Spee5h 
on  that  occasion. — Voyage  to  Malacca. — Letter  to  Nelson 
Hull,  Esq.,  respecting  Chinese  Gambling,  with  Answer  to 
ditto — From  Sir  Stamford  Raffles — From  6.  F.  M.  on  |  the 
Opium    Trade — ^To    Mr.    J.   Morrisonr-To  Joseph  Rey- 
ner,  Esq.— From  Sir  T.  S.  Raffles— From  J.  Crawford,  Esq. 

— From  Rev.  D.  Collie From  Sir  J.  B.  Urmston.— Letter 

addressed  to  the  Treasurer  and  Secretary  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society— Letter  from  J.  A.  Maxwell,  Esq.^ 
From  Colonel  Farquhar — From  Sir  6.  T.  Staunton,  with 
Reply  to  ditto.— Letter  addressed  to  the  President  and 
Select  Committee. — ^Extracts  of  a  Journal  of  a  Voyage  to 
England.— Letters  from  the  Rer.  A.  Faure,  and  the  Rev. 
John  Phillip 191-249 


PERIOD  V. 

FROM  HIS  ABRIYAL  IN  ENGLAND,  IN  1824)  TO  HIS  DEATH,  IN  1834. 


A,  D.  1824—1826. 


SECTION  VIII. 

1824. — ArriTsl  in  England.— Letter  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Clunie,  relating 
to  his  Chinese  Library — From  Sir  George  T.  Staunton. — 
Dr.  Morrison   presented  to  George   the    Fourth. —Letter 


CONTENTS   OP   VOLUME    II. 


Page 


from  Robert  Peel,  Esq. -J^m  the  Rer.  Charles  R.  Sumner.— 
Hii  reception  by  the  Hon.  East  India  Company. — Letter  to 
Sir  George  Staunton,  Bart. — Visit  to  Newcastle.— Present 
at  Public  Meetings.— Addressed  by  J.  Butterworth»  Esq. — 
AnniTcrsary  of  the  Bible  Society. — Letter  from  the  Rct.  T. 
S.  Grimshaw. — ^The  Moral  Condition  of  the  Chines^re^n  ^. 
benerolent  regard  to  the  affairs  of  others. — Exercises  at  the 
Anglo-Chinese  College. — Visit  to  Paris.— Letter  from  Sir  G. 
T.  Staunton,  Bart,  relating  to  his  Chinese  Library.— Visit  to 
Ireland  and  Scotland. — Suggestions  to  the  London  Mission- 
ary Society « — Letters  to  Joseph  Tam,and  JosephReyner,Esqs. 
— The  number  of  Works  cUstributed  at  Malacca. — On  the 
Study  of  the  Chinese  Language  at  the  Universities.— His 
Marriage.— Letter  from  Lord  Amherst.  ... 251 — 296 

1825. — Proposal  for  a  Philological  Society. — Formation  of  the  Lan- 
guage Institution. — Chinese  Miscellany  compiled. — Elected 
Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society. — ^Visit  to  Sir  Geo.  Staunton. 
— Letter  to  W.  Alers  Hankey,  Esq. — Remarks  on  Apathy 
towards  the  Literature  of  China.— Remarks  by  an  anony- 
mous Writer. — Letter  from  the  London  Missionary  Society. 
— Letter  from  Joseph  Tarn,  Esq. ;  from  M.  Remusat ;  from 
the  Bishop  of  Llandaff ;  from  Rev.  Dr.  Adam  Clarke  ;  and 
from  the  Rot.  C.  R.  Pritchett The  Resolution  of  the  Re- 
ligious Tract  Society,  and  Language  Institution. — Letter 
from  the  Rer.  W.  A.  Hallock— From  H.  Townley— From  Sir 
G.T.  Staunton,  Bart.— From  Thomas  Seaward — and  from  T. 
Phillips. — Miscellaneous  Remarks. .  • 297 — 33 1 

1826. — Farewell  Address  at  Hoxton,  on  leaving  England. — Ditto  at 
GraTesend. — Letter  to  Sir  George  T.  Staunton,  on  receinng 
from  him  a  Taluable  Inkstand 332—344 

SECTION  IX. 


From  1826—1834. 


1826. — Embarkation  for  China. — Engagements  during  the  Voyage. 
— Landed  at  Maderia. — ^Mutiny  on  Board. — Letter  to  W.  A. 
Hankey,  Esq. — Landed  at  Anjier. — Interview  with  Mr.  Med- 
hurst. — ArriTal  at  Singapore,  State  of  the  Institution. — Met 
the  other  Trustees  of  the  Institution. — Arrival  in  China. — 
Interview  with  Leang-Af&,  ^and  his  Conversation  on  the 
Christian  Religion. — Letter  to  the  Chairman  of  the  British 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society. — Ditto  to  the  Treasurer  and  Com- 
mittee of  the  Religious  Tract  Society. — General  Observations. 
— Private  Journal. — Inundation  in  Hoonan  Province.— Sub- 
scriptions to  the  College. — Kidnapping  in  China 345—376 


VI  CONTENTS    OF    VOLUME    11. 

Page 

1827.— Part  of  his  Books  burnt. — Opinion  on  the  Greek  and  Roman 
Poets. — The  '  Canton  Register '  commenced. — Private  Jonr- 
nal  resumed. — ^The  Select  Committee's  Address  to'the  Conrt 
of  Directors  recommending  the  Anglo-Chinese  College. — On 
Christian  Devotedness.— Letter  to  Thomas  Fisher,  Esq. — ^To 
the  ReT.  A.  Brandram — From  T.  Fisher,  Esq. — and  Arom 
the  Rer.  Robert  Bum. — Remarks  on  the  Singapore  Insti- 
tntion. — Letter  addressed  to  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Collie  and 
Kidd. 377—400 

1828. — Private  Journal  resumed. — Letter  from  the  American  Board 

of  Missions. — Extracts  from  Leang-Af&'s  Letter Letter  to 

Sir  G.  Staunton,  Bart. — and  to  the  Editor  of  the  Asiatic  Jour- 
nal.— ^The  Japanese  Translators  render  his  Dictionary  into 
their  Language.— Letter  to  Mr.  James  Morrison. — Private 
Journal  resumed. — ^Visits  two  dying  Officers 40 1—4 16 

1829. — Reflections  on  the  New  Year. — ^The  Murder  of  a  French 
Crew. — Dr.  Morrison  succeeds  in  Liberating  Tsae-kung- 
chaou,  who  was  accused  of  Murder. — Grateful  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  latter.— X.etter  to  Sir  George  T.  Staunton,  Bart. 
— Proposal  to  engrave  Mr.  Chinnery's  Portrait  of  Dr.  Mor- 
rison.— ^Third  Part  of  the  Vocabulary  of  the  Canton  Dia- 
lect finished. — Letter  to  T.  Fisher,  Esq 417_431 

1830. — Baptism  of  Kew-Agong. — Arrival  of  two  American  Mission-  \^ 
aries  in  China. — Letter  from  the  American  Missionary  Board. 
Letter  from  Lord  Bexley. — Professor  Newman's  Visit  to 
China.— Letter  to  Sir  G.T.  SUunton,  Bart.— To  the  Rev.  A. 
Brandram. — Hostility  evinced  by  M.  Klaproth. — J.  F.  Da- 
vis, Esq.'s  Letter  to  M.  Klaproth 432—442 

1831. — Leang-Aii  Baptizes  three  persons. — Letter  to  T.  Fisher,  Esq. 
— The  Select  Committee's  Letter  to  Dr.  Morrison,  as  Presi- 
dent of  the  College  at  Malacca,  and  Reply  to  ditto. — Letter 
to  the  Rev.  D.  Abeel. — Ditto  from  T.  Manning,  Esq. — Ditto 
to  the  Editor  of  the  Asiatic  Journal 443 — 457 

1832.— Letter  to  the  Bible  Society.— Ditto  to  the  Tract  Society.— 
Private  Journal. — Baptism  of  Choo  Seeg-sftng. — Chinese 
Repository  commenced. — Letter  to  W.  A.  Hankey,  Esq. — 
State  of  the  Protestant  Mission  in  China 458 — 474 

1833. — Secular  Affairs. — ^Works  Printed  by  Dr.  Morrison  at  Macao. 
— Miscellaneous  Chinese  Tracts.— Suppression  of  Dr.  M.  's 
Publications. — Notes  on  the  Committee's  Letter.— Freedom 
^  of  the  Press.— Narrative. — Letter  to  T.  Fisher,  Esq. — Jour- 
nal.— Letter  to  the  Tract  Society. — Ditto  to  the  American 
Tract  Society.— Reply  from  the  Rev.  W.  A.  Hallock.— De- 
parture  of  his  Family. — Journal.  475 51)2 

1834.— Letter  to  Sir  George  T.  SUunton,  Bart— Ditto  to  W.  Alers 
Hankey,  Esq. — Ditto  from  Charles  Marjoribanks,  Esq. — 
Journal. — Last  Sermon. — Lord  Napier's  arrival  in  China. 
— His  Majesty's  Commission  read. — Dr.  Morrison  accom- 


CONTEXTS   OF    VOLUME    II.  Vll 

Page 
panies  Lord  Napier  to  Canton — His  last  Illness. — His  Death.  ^^'^ 
— Farther  Particulars,  in  a  Letter  from  Mr.  J.  R.  Morrison 
to  Mrs.  Morrison. — Ditto  from  the  Rev.  Edwin  Stevens. — 
His  Interment. — Inscription  on  his  Tomb. — ^Testimonies  of 
Respect  for  Dr.  Morrison's  Memory 503—540 


APPENDIX. 

A  General  Scheme  of  the  Ultra-Ganges  Mission  Union 1 

Roles  of  the  Fund  for  Widows  and  Orphans  of  the  Ultra  Ganges  Mission  . .  5 
Thoughts  on  the  Condnct  of  the  Chinese  Government  towards  the  Ho- 
norable Company*s  Servants  at  Canton 7 

Narrative  of  the  Affair  of  the  Topaz,  while  at  Lintin 10 

An  Account  of  the  Fire  of  Canton,  in  1822 33 

An  Address  to  Seamen 39 

Proposal  for  Bettering  the  Moral  Condition  of  Sailors  in  China 43 

Explanation  of  the  Term  '  Church.' 46 

Critical  Notices  of  Dr.  Morrison's  Literary  Labours,  by  Professor  Kidd. 


MEMOIR, 


&c. 


PERIOD  IV. 

FROM  THE  FOUNDING  OF  THE  ANGLO-CHINESE  COLLEGE  TO 

HIS  RETURN  TO  ENGLAND. 

Section  VI. 


FROM  1818—1822. 


Translation  of  the  Bible  completed. — Correspondence,  Domestic,  Religions, 
and  Literary. — Alphabetic  Part  of  the  Dictionary  finished. — Dispensary  at 
iMacao. — Return  of  Mrs.  Morrison  to  China. — Massacre  of  Europeans  at 
Manilla. — Missionary's  Report. — Death  of  Mrs.  Morrison — Death  of  Dr. 
Milne. — The  Dictionary  completed. — Lintin  Affair. — Fire  in  Canton. 


Up  to  the  present  period  we  see  the  subject  of  these 
memoirs  pursuing,  with  unwearied  assiduity,  the  great 
objects  proposed  to  him  by  the  originators  of  the  Pro- 
testant Mission  to  China.  Its  language  was  acquired 
— a  complete  Chinese  and  English  Dictionary,  con- 
sisting of  three  quarto  volumes,  compiled — and  an 
entire  translation  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures  into  the 
language  of  upwards  of  three  hundred  millions  of  the 
human  race,  completed.  Had  human  applause,  or 
literary  reputation,  been  the  end  aimed  at  in  these 
achievements,  Dr.  Morrison's  ambition  might  have 
been  fully  gratified  by  the  celebrity  which  his  labours 
acquired  him  in  every  part  of  the  civilized  world. 
He  might  also  have  rested,  after  years  of  mental  toil, 

Vol.  il  b 


:  .•   -   •  • 


•  ■ 

•  •  • 


•« 


•  •  • 


• 


• 


•  •  • 


•  •  • 


TRANSLATION  OF  THB  [1819. 

or  employed  his  leisure  in  the  lighter  or  more  agreeable 
pursuits  of  general  knowledge;  but  he  *had  not  so 
learned  Christ' — ^to  promote  whose  glory,  was  his  sole 
aim — and  to  whose  grace,  he  ascribed  all  the  success 
which  crowned  his  labours— ever  expressing  the  deepest 
humility  on  account  of  his  own  ^  unprofitableness/ 

The  circumstance  already  mentioned,  of  the  seizure 
of  the  types  by  the  oflScers  of  the  Chinese  government, 
excited  some  apprehension  lest,  at  any  future  time, 
such  interference  might  be  carried  to  greater  lengths, 
and  thus  cause  the  removal  of  the  press  altogether 
from  Macao.  Dr.  M.  therefore  resolved  to  finish  those 
parts  of  his  Dictionary,  which  would  be  of  most  essen- 
tial use  to  the  European  student,  and  afterwards  pro- 
ceed with  the  other  parts  embraced  in  his  original 
plan,  as  circumstances  would  admit.  As  any  disqui- 
sition on  Dr.  M.'s  literary  labours  would  be  very 
unsuitable  from  the  writer  of  this  narrative,  even 
though  competent  for  such  a  delicate  task — ^it  is 
thought  desirable  to  introduce  a  synopsis  of  his  Chi- 
nese publications,  by  one,  highly  qualified  for  the  un- 
dertaking. Whilst,  on  that  work  which  is  to  shed  its 
beneficial  influences  over  millions  of  mankind  till  the 
day  of  final  restitution,  Dr.  Morrison's  own  senti- 
ments are  given  in  a  letter  addressed  to  the  Directors 
of  the  Missionary  Society,  dated 

"Canton,  Nov.  25th,  1819. 

^^  Fathers  and  Brethren, 

"  By  the  mercy  of  God,  an  entire  version  of  the 
books  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  into  the 
Chinese  language,  was  this  day  brought  to  a  conclu- 
sion. 

^^  On  the  12th  instant,  Mr.  Milne  finished  a  trans- 
lation of  the  Book  of  Job,  which,  together  with  the 
Historical  Books  of  the  Old  Testament,  he  selected 


1819.]  BIBLE  INTO  CHINBSB.  3 

for  his  share  of  the  work.  The  books  that  were  wholly 
my  own  translation  are  these : — 


BOOKS  OF  THE  OLD  TESTAMENT. 

1.  Genesis. 

10.  Isaiah. 

19.  Jonah. 

2.  Exodus. 

11.  Jeremiah. 

20.  Micah. 

3.  Leviticus. 

12.  Lamentaiions.21.  Nahum. 

4.  Numbers. 

13.  Ezekiel. 

22.  Habakkuk. 

5.  Kuth. 

14.  Daniel. 

23.  Zephaniah. 

6.  Psalms. 

15.  Hosea. 

24.  Haggai. 

7.  Proverbs. 

16.  Joel. 

25.  Zechariah. 

8.  Ecclesiastes. 

17.  Amos. 

26.  Malachi. 

9.  Canticles. 

18.  Obadiah. 

BOOKS  OF  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT. 

Gospel  according  i 

to        JEpistles. 

h}pistle8j  §rc. 

27.  Matthew. 

31.  Hebrews. 

36.  2nd  John. 

28.  Mark. 

32.  James. 

37.  3rd  John. 

29.  Tiuke. 

33.  1st  Peter. 

38.  Jude. 

30.  John. 

34.  2nd  Peter. 

39.  The  Book  of 

35.  1st  John. 

Revelations. 

"The  other  books  of  the  New  Testament  I  edited, 
with  such  alterations,  as,  in  my  conscience,  and  with 
the  degree  of  knowledge  of  the  Chinese  language, 
which  I  then  possessed,  I  thought  necessary.  I  added 
the  verses  according  to  the  English  Testament,  in  a 
form  which  had  not  been  devised  in  Chinese  before, 
and  which,  without  breaking  the  text  into  parts, 
answers  well  the  purpose  of  reference. 

"  I  always  stated  explicitly  to  you  that  the  Chinese 
MS.  in  the  British  Museum,  a  copy  of  which  under 
the  Missionary  Society's  care,  I  procured,  was  the 
foundation  of  the  New  Testament  in  Chinese,  which 
I  completed  and  edited. 

B  2 


4  TRANSLATION  OF  THE  [1819. 

"  The  first  volume,  viz.  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles, 
which  I  printed  as  an  essay  of  what  could  be  done, 
from  the  above-named  MS.,  written  by  some  pious 
missipnary  of  the  Romish  Church,  was  burnt  by  a 
native  Roman  Catholic  of  some  education  in  this 
country,  because  he  thought  the  translation  mine,  and 
heretical.  Another  person  from  England,  who  was 
acquainted  in  a  degree  with  Chinese,  and  who  sup- 
posed that  the  Testament  was  wholly  mine,  said,  it 
would  have  been  desirable  that  the  translation  should 
have  been  done  by  a  Roman  Catholic  Missionary ; 
and  a  third  person,  in  a  different  part  of  the  world, 
'  has  condemned  me,  because  so  much  of  the  MS. 
remains.  Had  it  been  my  wish  to  make  the  whole 
translation  appear  as  originally  my  own,  I  could  have 
altered  much  more,  with  as  little  trouble  as  I  took  to 
decide  on  retaining  what  I  did ;  but  that  was  not  my 
object,  nor  is  it  the  object  of  your  society  to  enter  into 
the  question,  by  whom  the  Bible  is  rendered  into 
the  languages  of  mankind,  but  in  what  manner,  and 
to  aid  in  publishing  the  best  versions  that  can  be 
procured. 

"  When  traduced,  either  by  those  who  undervalue 
divine  Revelation,  and,  ^  not  daring  to  avow  their  prin- 
ciples, complain  of  the  inaccurracy  of  translations,'  or 

*  on  the  other  side,'  by  opinionated  men  who  *  give  liking 
to  nothing  but  what  is  framed  by  themselves,'  I  can 

*  rest  secure — supported  within  by  the  truth  and  in- 
nocency  of  a  good  conscience,  having  in  this  work 
walked  in  the  ways  of  simplicity  and  integrity,  as  be- 
fore the  Lord.' 

"  If  Morrison  and  Milne's  Bible  shall,  in  China,  at 
some  subsequent  period,  hold  such  a  place  in  reference 
to  a  better  translation,  as  Wickliff 's  or  Tyndale's  now 
hold  in  reference  to  our  present  English  version,  many 


1819.]  BIBLE  INTO  CHINESE.  5 

will  for  ever  bless  God  for  the  attempt;  and  neither 
the  Missionary  Society,  nor  the  Bible  Society,  will 
ever  regret  the  funds  they  have,  or  shall  yet  expend, 
in  aid  of  the  object. 

"  It  is  not  yet  500  years  since  Wickliff 's  bones  were 
dug  up  and  burnt,  chiefly  because  he  translated  the 
Scriptures ;  and  it  is  not  yet  300  years  since  Ty ndale 
was  strangled  by  the  hands  of  the  common  hang- 
man, and  then  burnt,  for  the  same  cause.  The  alleged 
inaccuracy  of  Wickliff 's  and  of  Tyndale's  translations, 
was  the  ground  of  cavil  with  all  those  who  were  ad- 
verse to  any  translation  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures ;  and 
it  is  but  277  years  since  the  English  Parliament  de- 
creed, that  *  all  manner  of  books  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testaments,  of  the  crafty,  false,  and  untrue  translations 
of  Tyndale,  be  forthwith  abolished,  and  forbidden  to 
be  used  and  kept.'*  "If  such  things  occurred  so 
recently,  more  modem  translators  need  not  be  sur- 
prised if  their  works  are  censured  or  condemned. 

"  Granting  that  many  had  the  talent  to  do  better 
than  we  have  done,  yet  few  appear  to  have  had  the 
will ;  and  I  will  be  bold  to  say,  there  are  many  who 
could  not  have  done  so  well  at  a  first  attempt;  how- 
ever, for  what  is  actually  well  done,  to  God  be  all  the 
praise.  This  boasting  is  extorted  by  past  occurrences, 
and  not  by  a  present  anticipation  of  censures  yet  to 
come. 

"  King  James's  translators  were  fifty-four  in  num- 
ber, and  rendered  into  their  mother  tongue,  in  their 
native  country,  under  the  patronage  of  their  prince. 
Our  version  is  the  work  of  two  persons,  or  at  most  of 
three  (including  the  author  of  the  MS.),  performed  in 
a  remote  country,  and  into  a  foreign  and  newly  acquired 

*  D'Oyly  and  Mant's  Bible. 


6  TRANSLATION  OF  THE  [1819. 

langui^e,  one  of  the  most  difficult  in  the  world,  and 
the  least  cultivated  in  Europe.  The  candid  judge 
of  men's  works  will  not  foi^et  these  circumstances, 
when  he  decides  on  the  character  of  the  present  trans- 
lation. As  to  opinions  which  natives  may  give  of 
the  work,  the  following  things  should  also  be  consi- 
dered. 

'^The  Chinese  language  possesses  much  ancient 
literature,  which  has  been,  for  many  centuries,  the 
constant  study  of  a  body  of  privileged  men,  under  the 
appellation  of  the  learned,  and  who  have  polished  and 
wrought  up  the  language  to  a  high  degree  of  what 
they  deem  an  elegant  conciseness,  and  a  richness  of 
classical  quotation  and  allusion ;  so  that  the  written 
style  of  the  learned  is  nearly  as  different  from  the 
plain  spoken  language  of  the  people,  as  the  language 
of  ancient  Rome  is  different  from  the  modem  dialects 
of  Europe.  In  consequence  of  this,  the  learned  in 
China  are  extremely  fastidious  in  respect  of  style,  and 
loathe  whatever  is  not  classical  Chinese.  They  are 
moreover  ignorant  of  the  rest  of  mankind,  and  of 
science ;  and  are  self-conceited  in  an  extreme  degree, 
and  view  whatever  is  not  consonant  to  their  experience 
in  sentiment  or  manner  as  outlandish  and  barbarous. 
This  self-conceit  induces  them  to  *love  darkness,' 
even  in  matters  of  history,  *  rather  than  light,'  when  its 
tendency  is  to  reduce  them,  not  to  an  inferiority,  but 
merely  to  an  equality  with  other  nations. 

"  Translation  is  in  its  infancy  in  China.  None  of 
its  own  literati  study,  in  order  to  translate.  The  Court 
itself  seems  to  have  some  difficulty  in  preserving  a 
competent  number  of  translators  into  the  Manchow 
Tartar  language.  The  religious  books  of  the  Bud- 
hists,  which  are  miserably  done,  and  of  the  Romanists, 
some  of  which  are  elegant,  are  the  only  works  they 


1819.]  BIBLE  INTO  CHINESE.  7 

have  rendered  into  Chinese ;  for  the  scientific  books 
printed  under  the  direction  of  the  Jesuit  Missionaries, 
were  not  translations  of  any  whole  treatise,  but  works 
containing!  generally,  European  ideas,  composed  in 
Chinese  by  natives. 

"The  SuhrhwOy  or  *  vulgar  talk'  of  the  Chinese, 
which  is  always  despised  by  the  literati,  does  not 
mean  Mow  vulgar  expressions,'  but  common  lan- 
guage, in  contradistinction  froib  an  elevated,  classical, 
and  recondite  style,  which  style  is  intelligible  only  to 
persons  of  education. 

"The  learned  of  China  think,  as  the  learned  of 
Europe  thought  in  darker  times,  that  every  respect- 
able book  ought  to  be  written  in  a  sort  of  Latin,  not  in 
the  vulgar  tongue.  Choo-foo-tsze  indeed  departed  from 
this  practice  in  his  philosophical  essays,  for  new  ideas 
cannot  be  communicated  so  well  as  by  the  simplest 
langui^e.  Classical  phraseology,  concise  as  the  Chi- 
nese is,  can  do  little  more  than  revive  old  ideas. 

"  To  put  the  Book  of  God  into  such  a  style,  either 
out  of  compliment  to  the  learned,  or  to  exhibit  one's 
oMm  classical  attainments,  seems  to  be  acting  over 
again  the  us^e  of  the  Egyptian  priests,  who,  it  is  said, 
expressed  their  doctrines  by  hieroglyphics,  intelligible 
only  to  themselves,  or  to  a  small  sect  of  the  initiated ; 
or  as  it  is  said  that  other  priests  did  in  the  Rhenish 
translation  of  the  New  Testament  into  English,  in 
which  they  retained  many  eastern,  Greek,  and  Latin 
words,  and  introduced  so  many  difficult  expressions, 
that  they  contrived  to  render  it  unintelligible  to  the 
common  people.*  This  censure  is  perhaps  too  severe; 
but  the  principle  that  plainness  and  simplicity  are 
requisite  in  a  biblical  translation  is  fully  recognised. 

*  D'Oyly  and  Mant's  Bible. 


8  TRAlfSLATION  OF  THE  [1819. 

"  The  duty  of  a  translator  of  any  book  is  two-fold  i 
first,  to  comprehend  accurately  the  sense,  and  to  feel 
the  spirit  of  the  original  work ;  and  secondly,  to  ex- 
press in  his  version  faithfully,  perspicuously,  and  idio- 
matically (and,  if  he  can  attain  it,  elegantly),  the 
sense  and  spirit  of  the  original. 

"  For  the  first  part  of  this  duty,  a  Christian  student 
will  be  much  more  competent  than  a  heathen  trans- 
lator generally  is ;  for  the  second  part  of  the  work,  of 
course,  a  man  who  translates  into  his  mother  tongue 
(other  things  being  equal)  will  much  excel.  Till 
those  who  are  now  heathen  literati,  cease  to  be 
heathens,  these  qualifications  will  not  easily  be  found, 
in  tolerable  perfection,  in  the  same  individual. 

"That  the  first  is  of  more  importance  than  the 
second,  is,  I  believe,  true ;  for  no  elegance  of  composi- 
tion can  atone  for  a  misunderstanding  of  the  sense  of 
the  sacred  page ;  whereas  a  degree  of  uncouthness  in 
the  style  of  any  writing  destroys  not  the  sense.  Some 
think  that  the  doggerel  version  of  the  Psalms  used  by 
the  Church  of  Scotland,  is  a  better  translation  of  the 
sense  of  that  divine  book  than  the  most  elegant  that 
ever  was  attempted.  And  I  know,  by  much  expe- 
rience in  commercial  and  political  translation,  that  a 
very  inelegant  written  version  of  a  foreigner,  will  en- 
able a  native  student  to  comprehend  very  clearly  the 
sense  and  spirit  of  the  original,  and  also  much  better 
than  a  verbal  statement  of  the  meaning  can. 

"  By  these  remarks,  I  mean  to  convey  it  as  my 
opinion,  that  a  less  pure  and  idiomatic  translation, 
made  by  a  Christian  missionary,  of  a  sound  judgment 
and  moderate  acquirements,  is  likely  to  convey  the 
sense  of  divine  revelation  better  than  a  translation 
made  by  the  most  accomplished  pagan  scholar,  who 
has  not  studied  the  sacred  writings,  and  who,  if  he 


1819.]  BIBLE  II9T0  CHmESE.  9 

possessed  the  adequate  knowledge,  in  consequence  of 
his  dislike  of  the  subject,  rarely  brings  mind  enough 
to  the  work,  to  comprehend  clearly  the  sacred  text. 
Not  to  mention  the  influence  of  his  pre-conceived 
pagan  notions  in  his  composition,  and  the  dishonesty 
which  generally  characterizes  most  heathens,  I  think 
any  of  the  Chinese  I  have  ever  seen,  would  slur  the 
work  over  in  any  way,  or,  if  they  were  more  zealous, 
would  affect  to  amend  the  sense  of  the  original,  when 
it  did  not  comport  with  their  previous  opinions. 

"  In  my  translations,  I  have  studied  fidelity,  per- 
spicuity, and  simplicity;  I  have  preferred  common 
words  to  rare  and  classical  ones ;  I  have  avoided  tech- 
nical terms,  which  occur  in  the  pagan  philosophy  and 
religion.  I  would  rather  be  deemed  inelegant,  than 
hard  to  be  understood.  In  difficult  passages  I  have 
taken  the  sense  given  by  the  general  consent  of  the 
gravest,  most  pious,  and  least  eccentric  divines,  to 
whom  I  had  access. 

"  In  the  first  part  of  my  duty,  viz.  ascertaining  the 
sense  of  Scripture,  I  have  used  the  English  public 
version ;  the  Original  Scriptures ;  Montanus's  Version ; 
the  Vulgate ;  the  French ;  the  Septuagint  translation ; 
Thompson's  translation  of  the  Septuagint ;  Dr.  Camp- 
bell's Gospels  and  Dissertations ;  Dr.  Doddridge's  New 
Testament  and  Works ;  Macknight's  Epistles ;  Scott's 
Bible ;  Dr.  Lowth  on  Jeremiah ;  Bishop  Lowth  on  Isaiah ; 
Bishop  Patrick  on  Proverbs ;  Bishop  Newcome's  Minor 
Prophets ;  Dr.  Clarke's  Commentary ;  Henry's  Com- 
mentary, occasionally  ;  D'Oyly  and  Mant's  Bible  on 
Leviticus  and  Numbers ;  Poole's  Synopsis,  sometimes ; 
Douay  Bible  on  Leviticus  and  Numbers ;  Editors  of 
Calmet  on  Canticles ;  Parkhurst's  Lexicon ;  Buxtorf 's 
Lexicon. 

"  In  the  second  part  of  my  duty,  viz.  rendering  the 


10  TRANSLATION  OF  THE  [1819. 

sense  of  the  Scriptures  into  Chinese,  my  helps  were, 
British  Museum  MS« ;  several  Roman  Catholic  works 
in  China,  MS.  Dictionaries  of  Chinese;  and  Native 
Teachers  of  the  langui^e. 

**  To  the  task,  I  have  brought  patient  endurance  of 
long  labour  and  seclusion  from  society ;  a  calm  and  un- 
predjudiced  judgment ;  not  enamoured  of  novelty  and 
eccentricity,  nor  yet  tenacious  of  an  opinion  merely 
because  it  was  old;  and,  I  hope,  somewhat  of  an 
accurate  mode  of  thinking,  with  a  reverential  sense  of 
the  awful  responsibility  of  misinterpreting  God's  word. 
Such  qualifications  are,  perhaps,  as  indispensable  as 
grammatical  learning  in  translating  such  a  book  as 
the  Bible. 

'^  I  have  made  no  departure,  in  any  remarkable  de- 
gree, from  the  sense  of  the  English  version ;  which 
circumstance,  I  judge  more  satisfactory  to  the  friends 
of  the  Bible  in  England,  than  if  I  had  affected  to 
make  <  a  new  translation'  or  <  an  improved  version; 
immediately  and  solely  from  the  originals,  and  in- 
dulged a  disregard  of  old  and  approved  translations. 

'^  It  is  my  opinion,  that  an  union  of  European 
Christian  translators,  and  of  native  students,  who  have 
some  years  attended  to  European  literature,  in  con- 
junction with  the  study  of  the  Christian  religion,  is 
most  likely  to  produce  the  best  translation  into 
Chinese ;  and  on  this  ground,  I  beg  to  recommend  to 
the  patronage  of  the  friends  of  the  Bible,  the  Anglo- 
Chinese  College  now  building  at  Malacca,  intended 
expressly  for  the  reciprocal  cultivation  of  Chinese  and 
European  literature,  and  the  general  diffusion  of 
Christian  knowledge. 

'^  To  have  Moses,  David,  and  the  prophets ;  Jesus 
Christ  and  his  apostles,  using  their  own  words,  and 
thereby  declaring  to  the  inhabitants  of  this  laud  the 


1819.]  BIBLB  INTO  CHmESE.  11 

wonderful  works  of  God^  indicates,  I  hope,  the 
speedy  introduction  of  a  happier  era  in  these  parte  of 
the  world;  and  I  trust  that  the  gloomy  darkness  of 
pi^an  scepticism  will  be  dispelled  by  the  day-spring 
from  on  high,  and  that  the  gilded  idols  of  Budh,  and 
the  numberless  images  which  fill  the  land,  will  one 
day  assuredly  fall  to  the  ground,  before  the  force  of 
God's  word,  as  the  idol  Dagon  fell  before  the  ark. 

'^  These  are  my  anticipations,  although  there  ap- 
pears not  the  least  opening  at  present.  A  bitter 
aversion  to  the  name  of  our  blessed  Saviour,  and  to 
any  book  which  contains  his  name  or  his  doctrine,  is 
felt  and  cherished.  However,  that  does  not  induce 
me  to  despair.  I  think  of  Britain,  what  she  was,  and 
what  she  now  is,  in  respect  of  religion.  It  is  not  t300 
years  since  national  authority  said,  that  Hhe  Bible 
should  not  be  read  openly  in  any  church  (by  the 
people),  nor  privately  by  the  poor ;'  that  only  ^  noble- 
men and  gentlemen,  and  noble  ladies  and  gentle- 
women, might  have  the  Bible  in  their  own  houses.' 
I  remember  this,  and  cherish  hope  for  China. 

*'  Tyndale,  while  he  was  being  tied  to  the  stake,  said, 
with  a  fervent  and  loud  voice,  in  reference  to  Henry 
the  VIII.,  *  Lord,  open  the  king  of  England's  eyes ;' 
and  his  prayer  seems  to  have  been  heard  and  an- 
swered. Let  us  be  as  fervent  in  a  similar  petition  in 
reference  to  the  Sovereign  of  this  empire. 

"  In  the  apostle's  words  I  conclude  this  long  letter. 
*  Finally,  brethren,  pray  for  us,  that  the  word  of  the 
Lord  may  have  free  course,  and  be  glorified,  even  as 
it  is  with  you.'  "  I  am,  &c. 

"  Robert  Morrison." 

Dr.  Monison's  beloved  friend  and  coadjutor  Milne, 
was  at  this  time  zealously  engaged  in  his  duties  at 


12  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1819. 

Malacca,  superintending  the  building  of  the  College, 
assisting  in  the  translation  of  the  Scriptures,  com- 
posing religious  tracts  in  Chinese,  editing  the  "  Indo- 
Chinese  Gleaner,"  &c.  &c.  Between  him  and  Dr. 
Morrison  there  subsisted  the  most  unreserved  confi- 
dence, and  although  their  characters  were  very  dis- 
similar, they  united  their  energies  in  promoting  the 
one  great  object,  to  which  their  lives  were  alike  de- 
voted. They  "were  brothers  in  heart;"  hence  the 
familiar  style  used  in  their  epistolary  correspondence. 
Some  extracts  from  Dr.  Milne's  letters  may  serve 
to  exhibit  the  difficulties  attendant  on  their  peculiar 
circumstances. 

TO  THE  REV.  DR.  MORRISON. 

"  Dear  Robert,  '*  Malacca,  Nov.  26,  1819. 

"  Your  long  letter  of  various  dates,  from  April  8th 
to  Sept.  10th,  came  on  the  21st  instant  by  the  Asia. 
It  seems  to  express  all  the  variety  of  the  writer's  feel- 
ings, affected  more  or  less  by  various  communications 
from  England,  and  Malacca,  during  the  long  interval. 
This  transparency  of  soul,  where  the  core  of  the  heart 
is  exhibited,  is  the  life  and  soul  of  friendship.  In 
reading  so  interesting  a  letter,  dictated  by  such  evi- 
dent fidelity  and  kindness,  I  was  alternately  de- 
pressed and  elevated,  ashamed  and  encouraged. — I 
wish  you  would  number  by  figures  1,  2,  3,  those 
points  in  your  letters  that  require  particular  answers. 
— I  shall  now  begin  to  answer  your's — when  it  will 
be  finished,  I  know  not. 

"  1st.  It  was  to  be  expected  that  such  men  as  B— — 
would  not  approve  of  giving  the  College  a  predominant 
tendency  to  religion.  To  have  made  it  a  mere  literary 
institution,  would  have  been  rather  out  of  our  way  as 
missionaries. 


1819.]  FROM  THB  REV.  W.  MILNE.  13 

"  3rd.  *  Retrospect.' — No  doubt  many  things  in  it 
would  not  please  every  body.  Among  the  gentle- 
men in  China^  it  would  not  be  liked — ^the  world  will 
not  like  it — ^it  has  too  much  religion  for  them.  It  is 
too  cold  and  worldly,  to  be  much  esteemed  by  warm- 
hearted Christians.  However,  I  cannot  help  it;  a 
man  must  either  write  according  to  his  own  views,  or 
not  write  at  all.  I  earnestly  wish  it  were  done,  and 
out  to  seek  its  quarters.  I  am  prepared  in  some  mea- 
sure to  expect  that  the  *  Gleaner'  will  meet  with  con- 
tempt, or  neglect.  It  is  not  learned  enough  for  the 
learned — ^it  is  not  religious  enough  for  the  religious — 
it  is  not  worldly  enough  for  the  worldly — ^it  is  not 
elegant  or  eloquent  enough  for  the  elegant  and  elo- 
quent— missionaries,  book-makers,  lovers  of  mankind, 
students  of  human  nature,  will  bear  with  its  imper- 
fections. 

"  18.  Your  ^  Chinese  congregation  (ten  to  sixteen)'  is 
larger  than  ours.    The  Lord  render  his  word  effectual. 

"  19.  ^  Chin^  the  Fokeen  man,'  is  a  smoker  of 
opium !  He  of  course  will  find  eight  to  ten  dollars  per 
month  very  inadequate.  He  once  promised  fair  to 
be  a  Christian — ^when  in  affliction,  he  destroyed  his 
idol — ^when  restored,  gave  loose  to  ill  habits. 

"  20.  *  Write  next  to  Lee,  my  man,  telling  him  that 
he  must  not  think  of  leaving  Malacca ;  that  you  wish 
him  to  be  first  Chinese  teacher  in  the  College.'  I 
have  been  mentioning  these  things  to  him.  He  is  a 
steady  little  man,  and  free  from  open  vice. 

"  21.  *  Type  deteriorated.'  It  is  very  true.  The 
reasons  are,  First, — We  have  but  one  good  type-cutter 
here,  Awan.  The  others  are  but  so  so;  three,  are 
apprentices :  it  is  better  to  employ  such  on  the  Maga- 
zine, than  in  the  Scriptures.     Second, — Nobody  to 


14  CORRBSPONDENCS.  [1819* 

pay  that  attention  to  the  detail  of  business  which  so 
much  of  it  requires. 

"22.  The  commission  of  the  Prayer  Book  and 
Homily  Society,  will  be  attended  to  as  early  as  pos- 
sible, but  we  really  haA^e  so  much  in  hand ;  I  wish 
you  had  sent  the  blocks  already  cut. 

"  23.  *  Why  are  we  not  successful  in  conversions  V 
very  important  question.  What  occurs  to  me  is,  1st, 
— We  have  too  much  work  to  do,  and  often  there  is 
little  time,  and  little  pains  bestowed  on  our  discourses, 
and  tracts  and  publications.  Truth  is  brought  before 
the  minds  of  sinners  in  a  defective  and  oold  manner. 
2nd. — No  time  for  dealing  with  sinners  personally 
and  privately,  and  praying  with  them,  and  watch- 
ing the  favourable  seasons  of  teaching  them.  3rd. — 
Perhaps  we  have  cause  to  be  humbled  that  the  work 
is  not  more  matter  of  conscience  and  serious  prayer 
with  us.  4th. — Sad  disunion  of  late,  which  restrains 
the  influence  of  God's  grace.  When  we  cannot  find 
in  our  hearts  to  bear  with  each  other,  and  forgive 
each  other,  God  will  not  bless  us.        *         *        * 

"  Thus  I  think  I  have  not  omitted  any  thing  in 
your  long  letter. 

"  The  cholera  morbus  has  visited  Malacca.  On  the 
2nd  instant,  sixteen  persons  died :  two  funerals  have 
just  passed  our  door  to-day  in  course  of  the  last  two 
hours.  Seven  funerals  passed  our  door  the  other  day ; 
Klings  and  Malays  have  chiefly  sufiered  yet.  Two 
of  our  domestics  have  died  of  the  cholera,  and  one 
more  has  been  very  ill.  Our  lives  are  in  his  hand ; 
living  and  dying  may  we  be  his. 

"  I  liked  your  letter  to  the  Union  very  much.  Such 
letters  do  great  good.  I  rather  think  it  will  be  liked 
by  all.  "  Yours  ever, 

"  W.  Milne." 


1819.]  8TATB  OF  THB  POOR  IN   CHINA.  15 

In  order  to  comply  with  Professor  Beard's  request 
respecting  the  state  of  the  poor  in  China,  Dr.  Morri- 
son employed  the  peculiar  facilities  which  his  situa- 
tion afforded,  to  obtain  all  possible  information  on  the 
subject.  The  following  communication  made  to  him 
by  the  late  Dr.  Livingstone,  one  of  the  surgeons  be- 
longing to  the  Company's  establishment,  though  pub- 
lished in  the  '  Qleaner,'  may  be  new,  and  interesting 
to  many  readers  at  the  present  time. 

TO  THE  REV.  DR.  MORRISON. 
"  My  dear  Sir,  "Macao,  1819. 

"  The  following  hints,  which  I  informed  you  were 
hastily  written  without  premeditation,  for  the  purpose 
of  serving  you  as  a  memorandum  whilst  you  answer 
to  the  queries  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Church 
of  Scotland,  you  had  the  goodness  to  say  that  you 
thought  they  might  be  useful  in  their  present  shape : 
I  therefore  return  them  to  you  without  any  material 
alteration,  and  place  them  with  much  pleasure  at  your 
disposal. 

"  Your's  very  sincerely, 

"  John  Livingstone.'' 

"  In  China,  sudden  and  unforeseen  calamities,  such  as 
a  river  breaking  its  embankment,  fire  destroying  a  vil- 
lage, and  the  like,  often  reduce  a  whole  kindred  to  a 
state  of  extreme  poverty,  and  oblige  them  to  beg,  for 
which  they  get  a  public  license.  In  all  other  cases, 
where  disease  is  not  the  cause  of  pauperism,  it  seems 
to  be  the  practice  in  China,  for  the  able  part  of  the 
family  to  support  their  poor  or  reduced  relatives. 

'^  The  remaining  classes  of  paupers  are  such  as  are 
diseased.  These  may  be  divided  into  two  large  classes. 


16  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1819. 

viz.  the  clean  and  the  unclean.  The  first  class  compre- 
hends ;  Ist,  the  blind ;  2nd,  the  lame ;  3rd,  the  deaf 
and  the  dumb.     The  unclean  class  consist  of  lepers. 

«  The  number  of  blind  poor  in  China  is  astonishingly 
great.  I  have  not  been  able  to  obtain  any  thing  even 
like  an  approximation  of  the  exact  proportion  to  that 
of  the  whole  population.  The  best  informed  appear 
not  to  know,  or  perhaps  they  are  unwilling  to  tell ;  for 
they  generally  say  that  they  come  from  another  part 
of  the  country,  &c.  Some  of  them  learn  to  perform 
on  musical  instruments,  and  to  recite  tales,  for  which 
they  receive  payment,  and  therefore  may  be  consi- 
dered as  subsisting  by  their  industry;  but  a  greater 
proportion  of  them  go  about  as  conmion  beggars,  fre- 
quently in  companies  of  ten  or  twelve,  in  which  case 
they  are  attended  by  a  guide ;  more  generally  two  or 
three  go  together,  and  guide  themselves  along  by 
means  of  long  sticks,  by  which  they  seem  to  feel  their 
way. 

"The  blind  and  lame  sit  in  the  streets  and  highways, 
and  implore  the  charity  of  the  compassionate.  Le- 
prosy is  a  dreadful  calamity  in  China.  It  dooms  the 
wretched  sufferer,  even  should  he  recover,  to  remain 
for  ever  an  outcast  from  his  relatives.  This  class  is 
exceedingly  numerous,  and  crowds  the  streets  and 
highways.  They  are  seen  in  considerable  numbers 
near  the  residence  of  Europeans  at  Qanton.  A  cold 
winter  night  is  usually  destructive  to  many  of  these 
miserable  beings.  They  might  easily  be  restored  to 
health,  yet,  in  the  superstitious  notion  of  the  Chinese, 
it  would  not  restore  them  to  any  of  the  comforts  of 
social  intercourse,  not  even  to  work. 

"  In  Canton  and  other  large  towns,  establishments 
exist  for  supplying  the  destitute,  aged,  blind,  lame, 
&c.,  with  maintenance. 


1820.]  STATE  OF  THE  POOR  IN  CHINA.  17 

"  No  divisions  similar  to  our  parishes  exist  in  China ; 
nor  indeed  any  other  unless  for  police  regulations,  and 
these  have  not  connected  with  them  any  establish- 
ment for  the  support  of  the  poor. 

"  Their  places  of  religious  worship  are  made  occa- 
sionally merely  the  places  from  which  alms  are  distri- 
buted, and  we  have  reason  to  suppose,  more  from 
ostentation  than  true  charitable  motives.  The  Man- 
darins of  the  district  sometimes  also  distribute  from 
their  temples,  the  allowance  to  the  destitute,  aged, 
blind,  &c.,  but  no  charitable  fund  seems  ever  to  be 
connected  with  any  of  their  temples,  considered  as  a 
religious  establishment ;  yet  it  seems  to  be  a  sentiment 
pretty  universally  diffused,  that  charitable  deeds  are 
pleasing  to  Heaven,  and  that  they  may  deprecate  im- 
pending wrath :  accordingly,  on  certain  days  charita- 
ble donations  are  made  of  money,  more  frequently  of 
rice.  In  a  country  where  the  necessaries  of  life  are 
commonly  very  cheap,  and  where  a  little  rice,  a  little 
pork,  or  fish  and  vegetables,  enable  the  poor  to  make 
even  a  comfortable  meal,  it  will  be  readily  understood 
that  the  condition  of  the  poor  is  far  from  bad.  Even 
the  leper  seems,  from  the  nature  of  his  infirmity,  to 
obtain  supplies  of  food  with  facility,  and  he  seems  to 
bow  to  his  hard  fate  with  a  degree  of  resignation. 

"  These  remarks  apply,  perhaps,  generally  to  the 
southern  or  warmer  provinces  of  China.  In  the 
northern  division,  where  rice  is  not  cultivated,  and 
where  the  winters  are  severe,  the  poor  suffer  much 
greater  hardships.  In  proof  of  this  it  may  be  stated, 
that  the  northern  beggars  often  find  their  way  even  to 

Macao. 

The  Chinese  pagan  population  of  Macao  is  com- 
monly calculated  to  be  from  35,000  to  40,000 ;  the 
Christian  population  comprehending  the  Portuguese ; 

Vol.  n.  c 


18  STATE  OF  THE  POOB  [1820. 

the  Chinese  in  the  dress  of  Portuguese ;  mixtures  of 
these  in  every  degree  with  the  original  settlers  from 
Europe,  India,  Africa,  and  the  neighbouring  Philip- 
pine and  Malay  islands,  is  under  5000.    From  Timor, 
and  the  Portuguese  settlements  in  Africa,  about  100 
slaves  arrive  annually.    From  these  various  sources, 
during  250  years,  the  present  mixed  race  of  Macao 
has  sprung.     They  have  divided  themselves  into  two 
classes ;     Ist. — ^Those  of  foreign  descent ;  2nd. — ^The 
Chinese  descendants.     The  first  preserve  all  the  pride 
and  consequence  of  the  first  settlers.    More  real  worth 
will    be   found   amongst  the    second    class.      Each 
class  contains  a  very  few  respectable  merchants  and 
ship-owners.      Excepting  such  emplojrments  as  are 
absolutely  necessary  for  the  outfit  and  mani^ement 
of  their  ships,  every  other  branch  of  industry  is  left 
to  the  Chinese,  even  to  the  management  of  house- 
hold  affairs.      From  this  view  of  the  Christian  in- 
habitants of  Macao,  a  people  without  manufactures, 
arts,  or  industry,  it  will  be  expected  that  pauperism  of 
a  peculiar  description  must  result;   accordingly  we 
have  the  incongruous  phenomenon  of  beggars  without 
humility  appearing  in  silks  and  lace,  with  sword  and 
cocked  hat,  asking  charity  for  the  love  of  God,  and 
telling  you,  God  will  pay ! 

This  may  appear  a  singular  case  in  the  grand  pro- 
blem of  charity.  It  may  require  explanation.  The 
early  missionaries  were  well  provided  with  the  means 
of  meliorating  the  condition  of  the  Neophytes,  and 
the  encouraging  circumstances  attending  their  first 
success,  procured  for  them  ample  means  of  building 
stately  churches,  and  connecting  Avith  them  ample 
charitable  funds.  From  these,  supplies  would  be 
readily  obtained,  and  perhaps  the  missionaries,  not 
contemplating  the  possible  failure  of  these  funds,  were 


1 


820.]  AMONG  THE  POIITUGCESE.  19 

treless  in  inculcating  habits  of  industry.  This  is 
more  probable,  as  the  uiimber  of  saints'  days  on  which 
it  is  not  lawful  to  do  any  kind  of  work,  without  special 
permission,  are  so  many  aa  greatly  to  impede  every 
kind  of  labour ;  and  I  have  been  informed  that  there 
is  scarcely  a  day  throtighout  the  year  on  which  they 
may  not  have  a  religious  excuse  for  neglecting  their 
worldly  concerns.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Chinese 
have  very  few  religious  hinderances ;  a  few  days  of 
festivity  about  tlie  new  year,  and  of  altendante  on  the 
[tombs  of  their  ancestors,  being  nearly  their  only  inter- 
.Tuptions  to  labour.  Thus,  were  the  Christians  ever 
so  industriously  inclined,  they  could  not  enter  into 
any  successful  competition  with  the  Chinese  pagans. 
Hence,  they  seem  from  the  first  to  have  been  dis- 
couraged from  making  any  effort.  They  learn  to  do 
nothing. 

The  funds  for  the  support  of  the  poor  are  dilapidated 
very  considerably  of  late,  from  causes  which  it  would 
be  paiuiiil  to  state.  Were  it  not  that  a  quantity  of 
rice  necessary  to  supply  the  absolute  wants  of  nature 
is  in  general  very  easily  procured,  many  must  starve ; 
as  it  is,  perhaps  no  part  of  the  world  contains  a  species 
of  pauperism  so  greatly  and  so  deservedly  wretched  ; 
since  it  arises  from  the  extinction  of  that  principle  of 
shame  which  is  perhaps  the  best  preventative  of  idle- 
ness, the  parent  of  poverty, 

■"  Perhaps,  too,  from  the  same  source  arises  that  low 
and  degraded  sentiment  which  aeenis  to  view  female 
purity  with  indifference  ;  it  cannot  be  in  lower  estima- 
tion than  here.  Again,  if  we  consider  the  degree  of  this 
virtue  as  a  correct  test  of  the  state  of  all  that  is  digni- 
fied, of  all  that  is  noble,  of  all  that  is  virtuous  in  the 
character  of  man, — the  utter  inapplicability  of  any  of 
these  appellations  to  the  degraded  beings  of  tliis  place, 
c  2 


20  LETTER  FROM  DR.  LIVINGSTONE.  [1820. 

will  show  a  result  equally  melancholy— equally  true. 
These  remarks  do  not,  of  course,  apply  to  the  superior 
ranks ;  some  might  be  mentioned  whose  general  con- 
duct would  do  honour  to  any  society. 

From  the  pen  of  the  same  Gentleman  is  the  follow- 
ing account  of  another  benevolent  project  of  Dr.  Mor- 
rison's for  the  ameliorating  the  bodily  sufferings  of  the 
poor  around  him. — It  was  addressed  to  Dr.  Milne,  to 
be  inserted  in  the  *  Gleaner.' 

«  Sir,  *'  China,  Sept.,  1820. 

"  I  have  observed,  in  the  public  streets  and 
markets,  both  at  Canton  and  Macao,  for  several  years, 
many  recent  and  dried  vegetable  substances  exposed 
for  sale,  as  medicines,  which  had  never  been  received 
into  any  European  Pharmacopoeia ;  and  have  learned, 
that  the  demand  for  them  was  considerable  ;  and  con- 
sequently, that  they  were  necessary  to  the  real  or 
imaginary  wants  of  the  Chinese. 

"  Their  stalls  contain  many  articles  not  to  be  found 
in  the  shops  of  the  Chinese  Apothecaries,  which  are, 
therefore,  not  necessary  to  the  regular  Chinese  practice ; 
yet  it  occurred  to  me,  that  their  extensive  use  in 
Chinese  domestic  medicines,  gave  them  a  sufficient 
claim  to  my  attention;  but  several  difficulties,  par- 
ticularly my  ignorance  of  the  Chinese  language,  made 
me  defer  at  that  time  any  attempt  to  investigate, 
whether  they  might  not  supply  something  in  addition 
to  the  means  now  possessed,  of  lessening  human  suffer- 
ing in  the  West. 

"  Some  time  afterwards  I  communicated  my  difficul- 
ties to  my  friend.  Dr.  Morrison,  who  kindly  promised 
me  his  assistance.  He  has  done  more.  He  has  purchased 
a  Chinese  Medical  Library,  consisting  of  upwards  of 
800  volumes,  with  a  complete  assortment  of  Chinese 


I 
I 


DISPENSARY  IN  MACAO.  21 

Medicines ;  and  has  engaged  a  respectable  Cliinesc 
Physician  and  Apothecary,  with  the  occasional  attend- 
ance of  an  Herbalist  (whose  complete  stock  be  pur- 
chased for  my  inspection ),  to  explain  the  properties 
of  the  various  articles  which  he  (the  Herbalist)  collects 
and  sells. 

"  In  addition  to  this,  the  same  gentleman  instituted 
a  Dispensary  some  mopths  ago,  for  supplying  the 
Chinese  poor  with  advice  and  medicines,  which  he 
superintends  himself  from  one  to  two  hours  every 
morning,  I  have  also  been  able  to  give  pretty  constant 
attendance,  and  have  had  an  opportunity  of  observing 
the  details  of  Chinese  practice,  in  from  about  ten  to 
iifteen  cases  daily. 

'*  A  residence  of  twelve  years  m  Macao,  and  the 
occasional  observation  of  some  of  the  more  important 
cases,  which  a  population  of  about  forty-five  thousand 
inhabitants,  and  the  crowded  neighbouring  villages, 
could  supply,  had  rather  served  to  convince  me  of  the 
great  difficulty  I  had  to  encounter,  in  comprehending 
rightly  the  meaning  of  Chinese  patients,  when  stating 
their  complaints,  than  to  supply  me  with  such  a 
familiar  acquaintance  with  their  popular  notions  re- 
garding disease,  and  the  effects  of  remedies,  which  is 
so  very  necessary  towards  obtaining  just  views  either 
of  their  diseases  or  medical  practice. 

On  these  points  I  found  Dr.  Morrison's  sentiments 
accorded  exactly  with  my  own ;  and  altliough  he  is 
familiar  with  the  colloquial  idiom  of  tlie  Chinese,  in 
the  ordinary  intercourses  of  life,  and  reads  iheir  polite 
Literature,  he  clearly  comprehended,  that  it  was  ne- 
.cessary  for  us  to  investigate  Chinese  Medical  Systems, 
,nd  attend  long  and  carefully  to  the  business  of  the 
Dispensary,  before  we  could  form  a  just  estimate 
of  Chinese  medicine,  or  to  explain  correctly  its  tech- 
nicology. 


22  M£D1CAL  PRACTICE  [1820. 

"  To  surmount  these  difficulties  will  require  consider- 
ably more  time  and  attention^  than  we  have  yet  been 
able  to  bestow.  We  have,  however,  made  some  pro- 
gress. Your  pages  are  not  the  proper  place  for  a  pro- 
fessional detail,  and  it  is  obviously  necessary  to  defer 
any  such  for  the  present.  I  shall,  therefore,  confine 
myself  now  to  such  observations  as  I  conceive  may 
find  a  place  in  the  ^  Indo-Chinese  Gleaner.' 

^'  I  am  happy  to  say,  that  Dr.  M.'s  Institution  has 
already  done  much  good — much  human  suffering  has 
been  relieved.  Upwards  of  300  patients  have  made 
very  grateful  acknowledgmente  for  renovated  health. 
Some  have  been  dismissed  without  much  benefit,  and 
some  without  any. — Of  these  some  have  recovered 
under  the  European  practice.  No  death  has  yet 
occurred.  I  am  happy  to  give  this  testimony  to  the 
general  success  of  the  Chinese  practitioner,  whom  Dr. 
M.  has  been  so  fortunate  in  selecting  to  superintend 
his  Dispensary.  He  acquits  himself  as  an  intelligent, 
amiable  man.  To  venereal  patients  he  conducts  himself 
with  some  severity,  and  generally  refuses  to  prescribe 
for  them.  This  branch  of  practice,  he  assures  us,  is 
commonly  declined  by  the  regular  practitioners.  It 
is  in  the  hands  of  Barber-Surgeons,  who  use  a  singular 
preparation  from  quicksilver,  cinnabes,  and  arsenic, 
externally. — He  says,  he  never  employs  mercury — 
adding,  that  his  patients  often  stipulate  with  him,  that 
it  shall  not  enter  into  the  medicines  which  he  pre- 
scribes for  them  ;  from  which  it  may  be  inferred,  that 
this  powerful  metal  is  both  used  and  abused.  It  was 
known  in  China  long  before  we  had  any  notice  of  its 
use  in  the  medical  practice  in  Europe. 

"  To  lepers  he  shows  a  most  childish  aversion.  He 
starts  from  them  with  alacrity.  I  have  at  times 
witnessed  his  conduct  to  poor  lepers.  When  Dr.  M. 
remonstrated,  he  excused  himself  by  telling  us,  if  he 


I 


1820.]  IN  CHINA.  23 

touched  tliem,  he  would  be  shunued  himaclf,  nor 
would  any  one  come  to  the  Dispensary.  I  am  fully 
aware  of  tlie  difficulty  which  we  shall  experience  in 
conquering  this  absurdity. 

"About  half  our  cases  are  chronic,  stomacli,  pectoral, 
and  bowel  complaints;  a  few  cases  of  chronic  rheu- 
matiam.  A  great  proportion  of  our  acute  cases,  our 
doctor  arranges  under  their  general  term,  Shang  Han, 
'  Injured  by  the  cold,'  which  seems  to  comprehend, 
83  species,  all  the  diseases  which  originate  in  checked 
perspiration,  whether  by  exposure  to  March  miasmatic 
cold,  damp  air,  &c.  Its  species  yaries  with  the  season 
of  the  year.  I  am  only  at  present  able  to  enumerate 
the  fever  from  cold,  conjective  fevers,  dysentery,  in- 
termittent and  remittent  fevers,  and  rheumatisms. 

"  The  Apothecaries'  shops  in  Canton  contain  about 
300  medicines,  which  are  in  common  use ;  yet  Le 
Seen-aang  informs  us,  that  about  thirty  only  are  abso- 
lutely necessary  in  practice.  An  eminent  physician 
in  Canton  uses  chiefly  one  medicine — rhubarb.  Hia 
name  is  Wang,  '  a  king,'  and,  in  allusion  to  his  prac- 
ce,  he  is  called  '  The  Rhubarb  King.' 

*'  1  have  long  entertained  an  opinion  that,  upwards 
of  two  thousand  years  ago,  the  Chinese  were  greater 
proficients  in  medicine  than  any  of  the  nations  of  the 
West;  yet,  while  but  few  improvements  have  been 
introduced,  an  abundant  crop  of  errors,  similar  to  the 
astrological  medicine  of  Europe,  has  been  allowed  to 
spring  up,  in  the  highest  degree  ridiculous,  and  which 
has  greatly  deteriorated  every  department.  This 
remains  unchanged ;  yet,  I  am  happy  to  add,  these 
errors  do  not  seem  to  impede  its  usefulness  in  the 
hands  of  a  discreet  able  man. 

"  Besides  our  commercial  intercourse,  which  is  not 
way*  favourable  to  friendly  sentiments  between  man 


24  CHARITIES  AMONG  [1820. 

and  man,  we  have  hitherto  had  little  or  no  opportunity 
of  establishing  with  them  those  friendly  reciprocations 
of  beneficent  acts  which  must  ever  constitute  the 
firmest  bonds  of  social  intercourse.  Such  attempts  as 
this,  seem  calculated  speedily  to  produce  the  best 
results.  The  scheme  is  Christian,  and  it  therefore 
must  succeed. 

"  To  conclude,  I  am  certain  we  have,  in  the  short 
time  in  which  the  Institution  has  existed,  fully  proved, 
that  we  are  both  able  and  willing  to  do  them  much 
good ;  and  that  both  they  and  we  have  much  useful 
information  to  impart  to  each  other.  "J.  L." 

Although  several  literary  and  scientific  men,  as 
well  as  'Dr.  Livingstone,  were  contributors  to  the 
^  Indo-Chinese  Gleaner,'  still  its  chief  supporters  were 
Dr.  Morrison  and  Mr.  Milne.  It  is  also  but  justice  to 
mention  the  benevolent  purpose  to  which  any  over- 
plus arising  from  its  sale,  was  appropriated — ^viz. 

"To  the  Fund  for  Widows  and  Orphans  of  Mis- 
sionaries belonging  to  the  Ultra-Ganges  Missions, 
and  for  such  of  their  brethren  on  this  side  of  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope,  as  shall  subscribe  to  that  Fund, 
and  contribute  papers  to  this  publication." 

"  Charities  among  the  heathen. — ^That  is,  to  feed, 
clothe,  and  educate  such  heathen  orphans  and  poor 
children,  as  may  be  placed  under  the  care  of  the 
Ultra-Ganges  Missions;  and  to  assist  widows,  the 
aged,  deaf,  dumb,  blind,  and  lame ;  and  such  other 
heathen,  or  converts  from  among  the  heathen,  as  have 
no  relatives,  nor  strength  to  labour,  or  are  persecuted, 
or  otherwise  deprived  of  the  means  of  support." 

Happily  for  the  progress  of  Dr.  Morrison's  literary 
and  religious  pursuits,  during  this  and  the  preceding 
year,   an   unusual   degree    of   tranquillity    subsisted 


1820.]  THE  HEATHElf.  25 

between  the  Chinese^  and  the  foreign  commercial 
i^ents — BO  that  he  was  enabled  to  prosecute  with  un- 
ceasing energy  those  plans  which  were  calculated, 
either  directly  or  indirectly,  to  dispel  darkness  and 
error — and  diffiise  the  blessings  of  Christianity,  and 
general  knowledge,  throughout  those  vast  regions. 
His  correspondence — ^varied  as  it  was — was  also  ren- 
dered subservient  to  this  end — and  his  letters,  although 
generally  written  upon  the  announcement  of  a  ship 
being  despatched,  and  with  a  rapidity  almost  in- 
credible to  those  who  had  not  witnessed  it — ^yet  so 
fully  exhibit  the  prevalent  feelings  of  his  heart,  and 
the  passing  events  of  the  moment,  that  a  few  are  in- 
troduced as  the  best  substitute  for  a  journal  or  diary, 
which  for  some  time  had  been  discontinued.    . 

TO  JOSEPH  REYNOR,  ESa 

"Canton,  China,  January  7th,  1820. 

"  My  much  esteemed  Friend, 

"In  November  'last  I  received  your  letter  dated 
January  20th,  1819.  I  sincerely  regret  the  causes 
which  induced  you  t6  defer  writing  to  me ;  but  we 
are  not  left  uncared  for  by  our  heavenly  Father. 
Afilictions,  either  in  one  form  or  another,  are  more 
or  less  the  lot  of  all.  My  domestic  trials,  I  judge  not 
light :  though  the  anxieties  of  commerce  are  unknown 
to  me.  This  is  the  last  day  of  my  thirty-seventh 
year :  thirteen  years  I  have  spent  in  this  country — 
The  last  five  my  family  and  I  have  lived  in  opposite 
sides  of  the  globe,  and,  what  I  regret  much  is — ^the 
many  arrivals  from  England  which  bring  me  no  ac- 
count of  my  family. 

"  You  desire  me  to  suggest  what  may  be  useful  to 
our  cause.  Next  to  the  light  of  God's  countenance 
shining  on  a  missionary's  mind,  the  civilities  of  Chris 


26  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1820. 

tians  at  home  keep  up  his  spirits,  especially  when  he 
is  beginning  his  career.  All  the  new  missionaries 
complain  to  me  of  being  dispirited.  It  was  my  feel- 
ing also  at  first.  #  #  •  I  know  how  much 
every  one  has  to  do  in  his  own  domestic  affidrs,  and  in 
the  gratuitous  affairs  of  the  Society:  still  all  the 
home  Machinery  is  nugatory  without  the  active  ser- 
vices of  your  missionaries.  Do  believe  me  that  it  is 
of  vast  importance  to  be,  as  a  society/jery  friendly  to 
them — I  would  suggest  a  committee  of  two  or  three 
gentlemen  to  attend  to  the  petty  wants  of  young 
missionaries — I  am  not  pleading  for  myself. 

"  With  respect  to  small  sums  of  money  (and  this 
mercantile  people  here  call  every  thing  less  than 
10,000  dollars  a  small  sum),  it  is  difficult  to  procure 
interest,  unless  you  can  lend  it  certainly  for  twelve 
months. 

"  I  have,  however,  added  something  to  our  College 
funds  by  interest.  But  what  is  necessary  for  the 
current  expenses  of  the  year,  for  Malacca — Commis- 
sions,* &c.,  I  cannot  obtain  interest.  The  liberal 
contributions  of  the  Tract  Society  are  most  usefully 
expended  in  aiding  Mr.  Milne's  Monthly  Tracts. 
The  seed  thus  sown,  will,  I  doubt  not,  eventually  pro- 
duce an  abundant  harvest. 

"  You  will  find  that  I  have  completed  the  Sacred 
Scriptures  in  Chinese,  with  Mr.  Milne's  help ;  may 
God's  blessing  rest  upon  them,  and  make  them  like  the 
book  of  the  Lord  found  by  Hilkiah,  probably  800 
years  after  it  was  put  by  Moses  in  the  place  where  the 
High  Priest  found  it.  (  2  Kings  xxii.  8 ;  Deut.  xxxi.  26.) 

"  Our  venerable  friend  Dr.  Bogue,  in  his  sermon  on 
the  death  of  the  late  Mr.  Hardcastle,  seems  to  underrate 

*  Printing  materials. 


27 


I 

^H830.]  TO  J.  REYNOR,  ESQ. 

^Hlooks  as  a  means  of  converting  tlte  heathen  nations.  1 
^Kee  no  occasion  for  this  jealousy  :  our  Saviour  uees,  I 
think,  various  means.  MissionarieB,  and  books,  and  col- 
leges also  are  useful :  though  none  of  the  means  of  sal- 
vation are  without  their  defects.  Books  lie  unheeded 
— Missionaries  become  careless  or  immoral — Colleges 
degenerate  :  where  is  there  perfection  on  earth  !  Es- 
tablishments become  merely  secular  associations,  and 
Congregational  churches  and  Independent  ministers 
become  selhsh  and  proud.     Alas !  for  fallen  man. 

"I  trust,  my  dear  Sir,  that  you  will  aid  the  College 
^y  your  counsel  in  the  meetings  of  the  Directors. 
They  cannot,  consistently  with  the  original  plan  of 
the  Institution,  have  the  sole  control.  I  trust  they 
will  not  make  difficulties.  We  are,  perhaps,  more 
able  to  judge  what  is  practicable  than  those  whose 
experience  has  been  in  any  different  circumstances. 

*'  How  long  it  shall  please  God  to  bear  with  the  idol- 
atry, and  lewdness,  and  injustice  which  prevail  in  this 
country,  none  can  tell;  but,  judging  by  the  declara- 
tions of  the  Prophets  in  reference  to  the  western  na- 
tions, it  would  appear  to  me  ripe  for  judgments.  There 
has  been  much  suffering  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Pe- 
king from  the  rivers  overflowing  their  banks.  Two 
millions  of  taels  are  ordered  for  the  immediate  work 
necessary  to  bring  back  the  ri\'er  to  its  course.  Many 
thousands,  some  say  more  than  100,000  people  jje- 
rished.  I  have  not  yet  seen  the  person  you  introduced. 
Present  my  kind  regards  to  Mrs.  Reynor  and  the 
children.  May  we  all  be  kept  by  divine  power 
through  grace  and  faith  to  eternal  salvation. 
"  Vour'fl  affectionately, 

"  K.  Morrison." 


28  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1820. 

TO  M.  REMUSAT. 
"  Sir,  "  Canton,  China,  Jan.  7.  1820. 

"  Your  two  letters  of  November,  1818,  one  of  which 
you  forwarded  by  my  friend  Mr.  Hankey,  have  both 
come  to  hand.  The  copy  of  your  iji  ^,  which  you 
presented  to  me,  I  have  received,  and  return  you  my 
best  thanks  for  it.  I  have  an  assistant  who  is  a 
^  ^  graduate,  and  who  has  looked  over  the  Chinese 
part  of  your  work ;  the  printing  of  which  is  very  correct 
and  very  neat.  In  page  20  the  final  ^  is  superfluous, 
and  in  page  155,  ^  is  printed  for  ^.  In  page  32, 
the  translation  of  M.  ^  4^  R^  &c.,  is  incorrect.  In- 
deed, you  have,  I  believe,  given  "un  contre-sens,** 
similar  to  that  which,  in  page  142,  you  justly  charge 
Mr.  Marshman  with,  in  the  sentence  J^^^  j^  ^ 

i|g^.  In  the  Alphabetic  Dictionary,  which  goes  from 
me  to  England,  and  a  copy  of  which  I  hope  will  be 
sent  to  you,  you  will  see  the  use  of  ^  -^  i^^  and 
;^  ^  4^  ,  &c.*  You  know  that  M  -^  ^  ^  means 
*  there  is  nothing  greater  than  heaven  j'  so  1^  ^  4^  ^ 
means  Uhere  is  nothing  more  apparent  (to  a  man 
himself)  than  what  he  does  in  darkness.' 

"  The  volume  is  exceedingly  neat,  and  it  is  a  valua- 
ble addition  to  our  European  catalogue  of  books  on 
Chinese. 

"  Agreeably  to  your  request,  I  enclose  you  a  list  of 
the  prices  of  those  .books  which  you  desire  to  purchase. 
Some  of  them  are  not  to  be  had  in  Canton,  and  the 
expense  of  embarking  them  is  not  included. 

*^  The  ;5  ^  I.  have  called  in  my  Dictionary  a  cor- 
undum stone ;  but  Mr.  Reeves,  a  Fellow  of  the  R.  and 
L.  S.,  resident  here,  thinks,  with  you,  that  it  is  a  spe- 


1820.]  TO  M.  REMUSAT.  29 

cies  of  lapis  nephiticus,  or  jade  stone.  He  has  never 
seen  it  red,  but  a  mixture  of  green  and  white — some- 
times entirely  white.  The  Chinese,  however,  use 
■^  yg  for  any  valuable  stone.  The  ^  ]^  yB  ^^ 
consider  a  cornelian  stone.  Mr.  Reeves  has  sent  spe- 
cimens to  England  of  the  -^  ^,  in  order  to  take  the 

opinions  of  persons  there.  He  also  has  sent  to  Sir 
Joseph  Banks  a  good  many  dried  plants  and  seeds,  to 
which  he  has  for  several  years  paid  attention,  although 
the  Chinese  are  very  reluctant  to  assist  him  in  what 
they  deem  *  idle  curiosity.'  However,  if  you  send  us 
a  list  of  those  plants  contained  in  the  ]^  "^  ^  Q 

which  you  have  ascertained,  with  the  Linnsean  names, 
we  shall  do  our  best  to  add  to  the  number.  I  say 
tre,  for  I  must  be  much  indebted  to  Mr.  Reeves'  aid. 

"  I  am  much  obliged  to  you  for  giving  publicity  to 
my  publications  on  the  continent.  It  is  some  encou- 
ragement to  go  onward  when  one  finds  that  one's  la- 
bour is  not  quite  in  vain  in  rousing  the  attention  of 
Europe  to  the  literature  and  best  interests  (I  mean 
religious  and  moral  interests)  of  this  part  of  the  globe. 

"  It  was  new  to  me  that  the  credulous  unbelievers 
of  Europe  began  to  cherish  hope  from  our  ignorance 
of  the  Manchow  Tartars.  That  is  a  stale  trick  of 
theirs,  to  argue  from  our  ignorance,  and  to  believe 
most  firmly  whatever  they  choose  to  suppose,  in  oppo- 
sition to  our  Sacred  Scriptures. 

"  Your  researches  in  the  Manchow  Tartar  language 
acquire,  from  this  circumstance,  a  degree  of  import- 
ance of  which  I  was  not  aware.  I  wish  you  could 
find  time  to  render  the  Bible  into  the  Manchow.  I 
am  not  aware  that  it  is  yet  done  ;  and  it  would  be  a 
work  worthy  of  your  pious  King. 


30  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1820. 

"Wishing  you  the  blessings  of  God  Alniighty, 
through  our  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ, 

"  I  remain,  dear  Sir, 

"  Your's  sincerely, 

^*  R.  Morrison.'' 

TO  principal  baird. 

"  Rev.  Sir,  "  Canton,  China,  Jan.  7,  1820. 

"  I  have  seen  the  young  person,  Mr.  C,  whom 
you  introduced  to  me,  and  I  am  glad  to  hear  from 
the  person  who  is  his  senior  as  surgeon  on  board,  that 
Mr.  C.  conducts  himself  with  great  moral  propriety. 

"  Respecting  the  poor  in  China,  I  last  season  wrote 
some  answer  to  your  questions  through  Dr.  Waugh. 
To  these  I  have  little  to  add.  In  the  province  of 
Peking,  the  government  has  this  summer  been  called 
upon  to  exert  itself  for  the  poor. — Most  extensive  in- 
undations took  place  in  consequence  of  heavy  rains  in 
Tartary;  and  very  many  lives  were  lost;  and  those 
who  escaped  with  life,  were  deprived  of  the  means  of 
support.  The  first  act  of  the  Emperor  was  to  declare 
the  land-tax  in  those  districts,  either  wholly  or  in  part 
remitted — ^to  give  a  small  sum  of  money,  about  the 
value  of  a  crown,  to  each  individual — to  erect  houses 
for  the  gratuitous  distribution  of  boiled  rice  made 
into  a  thin  gruel — and  to  bsue  from  the  Board  of 
Revenue  two  millions  of  taels  for  the  defraying  the 
expense  of  restoring  the  rivers  to  their  proper  channels. 
This  is  a  specimen  of  what  the  government  does 
for  the  poor  in  extraordinary  cases.  They  also  give  a 
license  to  beg,  to  persons  who  suffer  from  drought  or 
inundation,  &c. 

"  For  those  who  have  relations  able  to  support  them, 
there  is  no  provision,  and  the  establishments  for  the 


Haffi< 
ext 

tO( 

tol 
for 


do 


To  rRINCIPAL  BAraD.  31 

destitute  old  and  blind,  and  lepers,  are  attended  to 
carelessly,  as  in  every  country  where  it  is  merely  an 

cial  duty  that  is  performed,   and  where  there  is 

entire  want  of  the  spirit  of  individual  benevolence. 
A  great  part  of  the  money  given  to  the  sufferers  in 
extraordinary  cases,  is  appropriated  by  those  appointed 
to  distribute  it.  The  poor  man  in  China  has  to  look 
to  his  relations  for  support.  There  is  no  tax  in  China 
for  the  support  of  the  poor.    As  to  the  number  of  poor 

able  to  support  themselves  in  China,  I  know  of  no 
leans  by  which  data  coidd  be  procured  to  make  a 

ilcniation. 

"  I  thank  you  for  the  two  copies  of  the  printed 
paper.  I  wiah  you  had  sent  me  a  few  more.  My 
friend  Mr.  Livingstone  is,  I  understand,  sending  to 
your  museum  this  year,  two  or  three  Chinese  human 
skulls;  they  were  the  heads  of  some  unhappy  men 
who  were  decapitated  for  robbing  an  American  vessel 
in  Macao  roads.  I  shall  probably  procure  a  few  trifles 
for  you,  and  send  them  by  Mr.  Clarke.  Your  late 
provost's  son,  Mr.  Marjoribanks,  is  going  from  China 
this  season  to  Edinburgli,  and  has  kindly  engaged  to 
do  what  he  can  for  our  Anglo-Chinese  College  at 
^MalBcca.  He  takes  with  him  some  printed  statements 
the  object  of  the  Institution.  Should  you  and  he 
live  to  meet,  I  beg  you  to  grant  him  some  assistance 
by  your  influence  in  Edinburgh.  Our  College  would 
unite  the  concerns  of  time,  and  of  eternity — of  the 
body  and  of  the  soul  of  men— the  redemption  of  which 
from  the  guilt  and  power  of  sin,  is  so  infinitely  im- 
portant.— The  best  blessing  of  a  minister  of  Christ  is 
seal  of  God's  approbation  in  the  conversion  of 

lany — may  this  be  your'a. 

■     "  I  remain  your's  faithfully, 

"  RoDEBT  Morrison." 


32  PUBLICATIONS  IN  CHINESE.  [1820. 

The  following  extracts  from  the  Missionary  Society's 
Report,  notice  some  of  those  labours  which  are  pieissed 
over  in  silence  by  Dr.  Morrison  in  his  more  general 
correspondence : — 

"  In  the  last  report  it  was  stated  that  Dr.  Morrison's 
health  had  begun  to  suffer  from  repeated  attacks  of 
severe  indisposition :  the  Directors  are  happy  in  being 
able  now  to  state ,  that,  having  retired  to  Macao,  with 
a  view  to  its  restoration,  he  was  enabled,  afler  a  short 
absence  from  Canton,  to  return  to  that  city,  and 
resume  his  important  labours,  with  his  accustomed 
assiduity  and  vigour. 

"Of  the  few  natives  whom  Dr.  M.  is  still  privi- 
leged to  address,  he  speaks  favourably ;  especially  of 
their  attention  to  his  discourses,  and  their  reveren- 
tial behaviour  during  the  devotional  parts  of  divine 
worship. 

"  Dr.  M.  had  also  completed  the  Alphabetical  por- 
tion of  his  Chinese  Dictionary,  which  is  foimd  very 
useful  among  the  Chinese  students  at  Canton,  and 
he  hopes  will  prove  equally  so  at  Malacca. 

"  Among  his  greater  and  more  laborious  occupations 
Dr.  M.  had  yet  found  time  to  execute  works  of  a  less 
important  character.  A  small  treatise,  entitled,  *  De- 
tached Remarks,  intended  to  settle  the  Phraseology 
used  in  Chinese  Discourse,  and  to  contrast  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Budh,  Mahometan,  and  Confucian 
sects,  with  those  of  the  True  Religion,'  had  been  drawn 
up  by  him,  and  printed  at  the  Malacca  Mission  press. 
Dr.  M.  has  also  published  a  small  book,  called  ^A 
Voyage  round  the  World;'  designed  to  enlarge  the 
minds  of  the  lower  classes  of  the  Chinese  in  respect  to 
mankind  generally,  and  to  introduce  among  them  a 
knowledge  of  the  essential  truths  of  Christianity.  To 
this  pamphlet  is  annexed  a  map  of  the  world,  in  which 


1820.]       MRS.  Morrison's  return  to  china.  33 

Judea  is  designated  as  the  country  '  where  Jesus,  the 
Saviour  of  the  world  was  bom.' 

"Four  hundred  copies  of  the  translations  of  the 
Morning  and  Evening  Prayers  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land, and  of  the  Psalter,  as  divided  in  the  Prayer 
Book,  have  been  printed  and  bound  up  together  in 
volumes.  The  Committee  of  the  Prayer  Book  and 
Homily  Society  have  ordered  2000  copies  of  this  work 
for  distribution  in  the  East. 

"  Mrs.  Morrison,  whose  health  is  much  improved, 
embarked  with  her  two  children  on  the  23rd  of  last 
month  (April),  on  board  the  Marchioness  of  Ely, 
Captain  Kay,  on  her  return  to  China." 

On  the  23rd  of  August,  Dr.  Morrison,  after  a  sepa^ 
ration  of  nearly  six  years,  had  the  happiness  of  being 
re-united  to  his  family.  On  sojourning  a  few  weeks 
with  them  at  Macao,  he  had  to  resume  his  official 
duties  in  Canton,  from  whence  in  November  he  writes 
the  following  to  his  brother  in  London :  *  Tell  them 
(  relatives  )  that  my  wife  and  children  were  well 
when  I  heard  from  them.  I  have  so  much  writing 
they  must  excuse  me  if  they  get  short  letters,  or 
none  at  all.  I  am  really  wearied  beyond  measure 
by  daily  writing  for  the  Dictionary,  &c.  &c.  &c. 
•  *  *  You  need  not  send  me  the  parliamentary 
debates  ^ain,  I  have  no  time  to  read  them;  any 
small  work  that  excites  much  notice,  you  may  send, 
and  children's  books.  I  am  this  year  so  much  occu- 
pied, I  hope  you  will  excuse  my  writing  at  great 
length  either  to  you  or  to  my  sisters.  Do  you  write 
a  line  from  me  to  inform  them  that  I  am  in  my 
usual  health.  *  *  *  I  am  much  discouraged ; 
may  my  mind  be  brought  to  a  greater  degree  of  hum- 
ble reliance  on  the  blessing  of  God.     *     *     *     The 

Vol.  II.  V 


34  CORRESFONBEXCE.  [1820. 

omperor  of  China,  called  Kea-kingj  died  on  the  2nd  of 
September  last;  his  son  has  ascended  the  throne 
by   the    title    Taou-kwangj    which    means    *  reason's 

glory!' 

"  There  has  been  a  massacre  of  the  English,  French, 
and  Danes  at  Manilla — about  thirty-seven  persons — 
an  occurrence  which  has  shocked  us  much. 

<^  I  am  grieved  that  our  mission  makes  so  little 
actual  progress — ^pray  for  us.  Farewell,  my  dear 
brother,  "  Your  s  aifectionately, 

"  R.  Morrison.'' 

TO  W.  ALERS  HANKBY,  ESQ. 
"  My  dear  Sir,         *'  Canton,  China,  December  14, 1820. 

^^  I  forward  to  you  some  letters  of  an  unpleasant 
nature,  which  I  tliiuk  should  be  considered  *  in  your 
secret  department,  for  *  *  *  I  know  not  that  the 
disagreement  of  the  society's  servants  should  be  made 
public  any  more  then  the  dissentions  which  some- 
times occur  in  families. 

^^  The  letter  to  me  from  Colonel  Farquhar  is  satis- 
factory. Permit  me  to  request  of  you  to  endeavour  to 
procure  from  the  society  a  specific  donation  of  one  or 
two  hundred  pounds,  or  whatever  they  may  think 
proper  to  give  at  present  to  the  College.  Do  you 
think  that  nothing  can  be  done  in  opening  a  sub- 
scription for  it?  We  do  not  require  much,  but  the 
professors  or  teachers  should  have  some  allowance, 
and  more  students  I  believe  on  the  foundation,  could 
be  procured,  if  we  had  the  means. 

*  These  letters  refer  to  the  conduct  of  some  young  men  sent  out 
to  assist  in  the  mission  at  Malacca  and  Pinang,  who  chose  to  act  in 
opposition  to  Dr.  Mine,  and  to  the  principles  laid  down  by  the 
Union  of  the  Ultra-Ganges  Mission. 


1820.]  HOMICIDE.  35 

"  What  view  of  Christianity  our  new  emperor  will 
take,  is  not  yet  known.  The  commander-in-chief  at 
Peking  has  afforded  him  an  opportunity,  hy  seizing 
four  poor  men  (harhers),  a  cross,  and  a  catechism, 
and  reporting  the  transaction  to  his  majesty,  with  an 
affirmation  that  the  culprits  would  not  renounce  the 
^Europen  religion,*  as  he  calls  it.  This  occurrence 
appeared  in  tlie  Peking  Gazette  a  few  days  ago ;  hut 
I  have  not  yet  seen  the  emperor's  answer. 

"  We  have  had  an  unpleasant  case  of  homicide 
committed  here  by  an  officer  of  one  of  the  Company's 
ships  firing  i}i  a  rash  manner  to  intimidate  the  Chi- 
nese, by  which  he  killed  a  waterman.  It  was  speedily 
arranged  by  the  Chinese  government,  that  a  man  who 
committed  suicide,  should  be  considered  the  person 
who  fired  the  shot ! 

"  My  family  is,  through  God's  mercy,  in  good  health, 
at  least  when  I  last  heard  from  them,  for  although 
we  lived  so  many  years  in  different  hemispheres,  we 
are  again  already  separated. 

"  May  the  Lord  bless  you,  and  be  gracious  to  you, 
and  give  success  to  your  endeavours  to  spread  the 
gospel.     Farewell.  *'  Your's  sincerely, 

"R.  Morrison." 

FROM  COLONEL  FARQUHAR  TO  DR.  MORRISON. 
"  Dear  Sir,  "  Singapore,  October  20th,  1820. 

"  Permit  me  to  return  you  my  most  sincere 
thanks  for  the  truly  kind  and  most  valuable  letter 
you  did  me  the  favour  to  write,  under  date  the  11th 
of  June  last. 

"  I  cannot  but  feel  the  most  lively  gratification,  that 
my  very  humble  endeavours  to  promote  the  interests 
of  the  Anglo-Chinese  College  at  Malacca,  should  have 

d2 


36  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1820 

been  received  bo  very  favourably  by  its  respected 
founder;  and  have  only  to  regret,  that  the  means  within 
my  reach  of  being  more  essentially  useful  to  an  institu- 
tion so  highly  interesting  and  important,  should  have 
been  so  circumscribed.  I  however  trust,  that  it  may 
please  God,  at  some  future  period,  to  render  me  more 
deserving  of  the  encomiums  you  have  had  the  good- 
ness to  pass  on  the  present  occasion,  as  well  as  of  the 
honour  my  most  esteemed  friend  Mr.  Milne  has  really 
conferred  on  me,  by  placing  my  name  amongst  the 
Vice  Presidents  of  the  College. 

"Mr.  Milton  continues  very  industrious,  and  his 
school  for  Chinese  and  Malays  is  getting  on  extremely 
well.  We  are  greatly  indebted  to  him  for  his  clerical 
services,  which  he  has  offered  on  all  occasions  with 
the  utmost  readiness. 

"  This  settlement  is  daily  increasing  in  population 
and  commercial  importance,  and  if  permanently  re- 
tained by  us,  will  no  doubt  become  a  place  of  the 
first  consequence  to  the  eastward.  Should  Sir  Stamford 
Raffles  visit  Singapore,  before  I  take  my  departure, 
you  may  rest  assured,  I  shall  not  fail  to  make  him 
acquainted  with  the  sentiment  expressed  in  your  letter, 
and  I  am  fully  satisfied  that  he  will  render  every  as- 
sistance and  support  in  his  power  to  the  mission 
established  here,  as  I  believe  few  men  feel  a  more 
lively  interest  in  the  general  success  of  the  society 
than  he  does. 

"  With  sincerest  wishes  for  your  health,  happiness, 
and  prosperity, 

"  I  remain  with  the  greatest  esteem, 

"  Your  very  faithful  friend  and  servant, 

(Signed)  "  Wm.  Farquhar." 


1820.]  MAS8ACRB  AT  MAKILLA.  37 


EXTRACTS  FROM  LETTERS  TO  A  RELATIVE. 

"  Canton,  December  4th,  1820. 

"  I  left  Macao  in  order  to  come  up  here  on  Thurs- 
day last.  The  occasion  of  my  coming  is  an  unplea- 
sant one,  an  officer  belonging  to  one  of  the  Company's 
ships,  rashly  fired  a  gun  or  fowling-piece  and  killed 
a  Chinese,  a  young  man  the  owner  of  a  boat ;  and 
this  of  course  has  been  noticed  by  the  Chinese 
government.  The  officer,  it  is  alleged,  belonged  to 
the  *  London  f  and  all  commerce  with  her  is  inter- 
dicted till  the  officer  be  delivered  to  justice.  It  is  said 
he  has  absconded,  and  where  the  proceedings  will 
end,  cannot  at  this  time  be  known.     •     •     •     • 

"  There  has  been  a  very  shocking  massacre  of  from 
thirty  to  forty  Europeans  of  different  nations  of  Eu- 
rope, and  of  about  eighty  Chinese,  at  Manilla.  The 
perpetrators  of  this  cruel  act  were  the  native  Manilla 
people.  The  pretext  was  a  supposition  that  foreigners 
had  introduced  the  disease  called  cholera  morbus, 
which  had  prevailed  extensively,  and  was  very  fatal. 
Alas!  how  much  suffering  there  exists  in  our  guilty 
world.  Happy  they  whose  hearts  are  changed,  and 
who  are  fitted  for  a  better  state,  where  there  shall  be 
nothing  to  hurt,  nor  to  annoy,  to  all  eternity.    *    * 

"  Would  that  I  could  tell  you  of  a  Christian  church 
gathered  together  from  amongst  this  idolatrous  peo- 
ple, and  that  our  baptized  countrymen  had  more  of 
the  spirit  of  true  religion  I     *****     • 

"Without  economy  and  punctuality  in  worldly 
matters,  we  shall  soon  lose  both  competence  and  re- 
spectability of  character.     ****** 

"  I  am  often  rather  low-spirited  about  the  want  of 
success  in  our  Ultra-Ganges  Missions.    I  fear  I  don't 


38  C0RRE8P0NDENCB.  [1820. 

spend  enough  of  time  upon  my  knees  in  prayer  to 
God  our  Saviour,  that  his  kingdom  may  come.  To 
pray  and  to  neglect  means,  as  well  as  to  use  means 
and  neglect  prayer,  are  both  'ivrong. 

"  Dec.  6th. — A  man  on  board  one  of  the  Company's 
ships  committed  suicide  on  the  3rd  instant,  and  the 
purpose  of  the  Chinese  government  is,  to  consider  him 
the  murderer,  and  so  end  the  legal  proceedings. 

"  Dec.  9th. — Tliis  strange  mode  of  preserving  the 
forms  of  law  has  been  absolutely  carried  into  effect, 
and  I  have  the  prospect  of  being  enabled  to  resmne 
my  usual  labours,  which  have  been  interrupted  for 
some  days  by  this  very  unhappy  case.'*     *     •     • 

Although  frequently  depressed  from  seeing  so  little 
fruit  of  his  labours,  Dr.  Morrison  was  not  left  altoge- 
ther without  encouragement,  as  would  appear,  from 
one  and  another  giving  evidence  of  being  turned  from 
"  darkness  to  light."  A  few  of  these  instances  were  re- 
corded in  his  letters  to  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society,  from  which  they  are  extracted: — 

"  A  native  printer,*  who  was  some  time  since  baptized 
by  Mr.  Milne,  has  composed  and  printed  a  paraphrase 
on  several  parts  of  the  New  Testament ;  the  reading 
of  which,  he  found  more  edifying  to  his  mind  than 
any  other  books  printed  by  us.  He  has  since  been 
called  to  suffer  for  righteousness'  sake.  Here  I  hope 
the  word  of  God,  which  formerly  edified  him,  will 
still  support  his  mind.  He  has,  I  believe,  truly  felt 
the  power  of  divine  truth,  and  is  an  example  of  the 
utility  of  the  Bible  in  this  idolatrous  country. 

"  During  the  past  year,  I  have  not  been  able  to  dis- 

*  Leang-Afa. 


1820.]  DEATH  OF  THE  EMPEROR  KEA-KING.  .39 

tribute  any  portion  of  the  Scriptures  in  China.  The 
emperor  Kea-king,  under  whose  reign  the  Christian 
religion  was,  by  an  express  decree,  declared  illegal, 
was  suddenly  removed  to  another  world  in  September 
last ;  whether  his  successor  will  be  as  inimical  to  it, 
must  be  determined  by  time.  It  is,  however,  gratify- 
ing to  see  that  so  many  thousands  of  Chinese,*  who  are 
not  under  the  influence  of  these  prohibitory  decrees, 
have  now  an  opportunity  of  reading  the  gospel  in  their 
native  language. 

"  The  governor  of  Ockotsk  has  gratefully  acknow- 
ledged the  receipt  of  those  copies  of  the  Scriptures 
which  I  sent  to  that  unfrequented  part  of  the  globe. 

"The  Chinese  sailor,  who  some  years  ^o  wrote 
out  for  the  type-cutters  my  first  edition  of  the  New 
Testament,  athough  long  since  out  of  my  employ, 
and  at  that  time  feeling  rather  an  aversion  to  Bible 
truth,  appears  now  to  believe  that  the  religion  of 
Jesus  is  from  heaven,  which  is  some  encourage- 
ment. We  have  prepared  the  seed,  to  which,  when 
extensively  sown,  we  hope  Ood  will  not  deny  his 
blessing." 

The  Anglo- Chinese  College  being  finished,  and  a 
few  native  youths  having  been  received  on  the  foun- 
dation, with  two  persons  of  European  extration,  who 
commenced  a  course  of  study  under  the  tution  of  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Milne,  Dr.  Morrison  drew  up  a  code  of 
laws  and  statutes,  for  the  regulation  of  the  Institution ; 
besides  a  deed  of  grant ;  copies  of  which,  are  here  ap- 
pended in  order  to  afford  ample  information  respect- 
ing this  interesting  Institution. 

*  Resident  in  Siam,  Cochin-China,  and  the  Malayan  Archipelago. 


4Q  LAWS  AND  STATUE^  [1820« 

LAWS  AND  STATUTES  OF  THE  AN0L0-GHINE8E  COLLEGE. 

"  There  shall  be  a  College  Council. 

"  I.  The  College  Council  shall  consist  of  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  College,  the  resident  Principal,  and  the 
Professor  of  Chinese. 

"It  is  understood  that,  the  Principal  has  the 
direction  of  the  ordinary  daily  concerns  of  the  Col- 
lege ;  but  in  any  affair  of  importance  to  the  Institu- 
tion, or  in  any  new  case  that  may  arise  not  pro- 
vided for  by  previously  existing  laws;  or,  in  such 
cases  as  may  hereafter  be  specified,  the  Principal  is 
required,  by  this  statute,  to  confer  on  the  subject  with 
the  Professor  of  Chinese. 

"II.  In  any  case  of  serious  misconduct  on  the 
part  of  any  Student,  the  measures  to  be  adopted  shall 
be  considered  by  the  College  Council,  and  their  deci- 
sion carried  into  effect  by  the  Principal,  in  ordinary 
cases ;  and  in  particular  cases,  by  such  member,  of 
Council  as  may  be  appointed. 

"  III.  When  the  President  is  residing  at  the  College, 
he  shall  be  Chairman  of  the  Council. 

"  IV.  When  a  difference  of  opinion  shall  arise 
amongst  the  members  of  Council  on  any  subject,  the 
President  and  either  of  the  other  members  of  the 
Council  concurring,  shall  decide  the  question.  If  the 
second  and  third  members  of  Council  shall  differ  in 
opinion  with  the  President,  and  the  case  does  not 
require  immediate  decision,  it  shall  be  deferred  six  or 
twelve  months;  reconsidered  in  the  mean  time;  if 
practicable,  the  opinion  of  some  of  the  Trustees  be 
taken,  by  a  joint  or  separate  application  of  the  Presi- 
dent and  the  other  two  members. 

"  If  the  question  require  inunediate  decision,  the 
President's  opinion  shall  be  adopted,  and  each  party 


1820.J  OF  THE  ANGLO-CHINESE  COLLEGE.  41 

make  minutes  of  the  reasons  of  their  opinions,  to  be 
referred  to  one  or  more  of  the  Trustees,  whose  votes, 
joined  with  either  party  in  the  Council,  shall  make  a 
final  decision. 

"V.  In  case  of  the  President  being  absent,  the 
Principal  and  Chinese  Professor  shall  form  a  Council, 
and  confey  on  every  important  subject.  The  Princi- 
pal may,  at  any  time,  require  a  meeting ;  and  the 
second  member  of  Council  is  also  allowed  to  request 
one.  If  desired,  the  reasons  must  be  minuted  by  the 
Principal,  and  referred  to  the  President. 

'*  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  there  will  be  a  general  con- 
currence of  opinion ;  but  when  a  difference  of  opinion 
shall  arise,  if  immediate  decision  be  not  necessary,  the 
case  shall  be  deferred,  and  represented  jointly,  or 
separately,  to  the  President,  whose  opinion,  on  either 
side,  shall  decide  the  case.  When  immediate  decision 
is  required,  the  Principal's  opinion  shall  be  adopted 
for  the  time  being,  and  a  representation,  known  to 
both  parties,  be  made  to  the  President;  or  in  the 
event  of  the  office  of  President  being  vacant,  to  a 
Trustee,  whose  connexion  with  the  College  has  con- 
tinued longest. 

"  VI.  Should  the  Principal  insist  on  the  immediate 
decision  of  a  case  which  the  second  member  of  Coun- 
cil thinks  it  right  to  defer,  the  second  member  is, 
by  this  statute,  permitted  to  enter  a  protest  on  the 
minutes  of  the  Council. 

"  VII.  After  the  death  of  the  founder,  the  appoint- 
ment of  European  officers  to  the  College  shall  be 
made  by  the  Trustees.  The  appointment  of  Native 
professors,  or  masters,  shall  be  made  by  the  College 
Council. 

"  VIII.  The  periodical  statements  to  the  public 
concerning  the  College,  shall  be  drawn  up  by  the 


42  LAWS  AND  STATUBS  [1820. 

College  Couucil.  As  often  as  practicable,  those 
who  have  been  Students  in  the  College,  shall  be 
appointed  as  Masters ;  and,  whenever  they  are  equally 
well  qualified  for  the  vacant  office,  they  shall  be  pre- 
ferred to  other  candidates. 

"  IX.  When  there  is  no  specific  and  sufficient  rea- 
son to  the  contrary,  the  European  officers  of  the  In- 
stitution shall  fill  the  vacancies  which  may  occur  by 
seniority.  The  Council  and  Trustees  shall  judge  if 
the  alleged  reason  be  sufficient  or  not. 

^^  X.  Students  shall  be  admitted  by  the  consent  of 
the  College  Council.  When  a  difference  of  opinion 
exists,  the  Council  shall  come  to  a  decision  in  the 
manner  above  directed. 

"XI.  The  consent  of  the  College  Council  shall 
be  necessary  to  authorize  the  Principal  to  expel  any 
Student. 

"  XII.  Gross  and  open  immorality  persisted  in, 
shall  be  a  sufficient  cause  for  expelling  any  Student. 

"  XIII.  A  continued  and  obstinate  neglect  of  pre- 
scribed studies,  shall  be  a  sufficient  cause  to  expel  a 
Student. 

"XIV.  A  wilful,  pertinacious,  disobedience  to  the 
rules  of  the  College,  shall  be  a  sufficient  cause  for 
expulsion. 

"  XV.  One  of  the  European  officers  of  the  College 
shall  always  be  present  at  morning  and  evening 
prayers. 

"  XVI.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  officers  of  the 
College  to  cherish,  at  all  times,  a  paternal  feeling  of 
kindness  to  the  Students ;  to  set  an  example  of  pa- 
tience, moderation,  good  temper,  and  assiduity;  and 
to  avail  themselves  of  every  opportunity  to  inculcate 
lessons  of  morality  and  true  piety;  considering  the 
religious  and  moral  instruction  of  the  Students,  as  no 


1820.]  OP  THE  ANGLO-CHINESE  CX)LL£G£.  43 

less  intended  by  the  Anglo-Chinese  College,  than 
their  intellectual  education. 

"  XVII.  The  European  officers  of  the  College  to 
be  Trustees  by  virtue  of  their  office. 

"  XVIII.  The  Trustees  shall  not  be  fewer  than  five. 
Vacancies  (after  the  death  of  the  founder)  being  filled 
up  by  ballot  amongst  the  existing  Patrons,  Officers, 
and  Trustees. 

"  XIX.  Patrons  shall  be  supplied  in  like  manner. 

BY-LAWS  OF  THE  ANGLO-CHINESE  COLLEGE. 

I.  At  the  College  table  the  conversation  shall,  by 
the  Principal,  be  turned  as  much  as  may  be  to  topics 
of  general  utility  ;  in  which  it  is  expected  that  those 
present  will  support  him.  It  is  desired  that  characters 
of  persons  (whose  characters  are  not  already  subjects 
of  history)  shall  not  be  introduced,  lest  even  praising 
some,  should  induce  detraction,  or  evil  speaking,  of 
others. 

IL  On  Mondays,  Tuesdays,  and  Wednesdays,  the 
general  good  behaviour  of  the  Students,  and  observa- 
tion of  the  Rules  of  the  College,  shall  be  superintended 
by  the  Principal ;  and  on  Thursdays,  Fridays,  and 
Saturdays,  the  Chinese  Professor  shall  superintend 
the  Students  for  the  same  purpose.  On  Sundays, 
the  Principal  and  Professor  shall  take  this  duty  alter- 
nately. 

III.  The  Officers  of  the  College  shall  have  a  choice 
of  apartments,  in  the  order  of  the  rank  they  hold ;  and 
Students,  who  may  live  in  the  College,  shall,  generally, 
have  a  choice  according  to  seniority  of  connexion  with 
the  College.  In  special  cases,  the  Council  shall  have 
the  power  of  allotting  what  apartments  they  please. 


44  LAWS  AND  STATUES  [1620. 

ADMISSION  OF  NATIVE  STUDENTS  ON  THE  FOUNDATION. 

All  Students  who  enter  the  College  must  have  a  good 
character. 

Native  Students  must  remain  three  months  on  pro- 
bation, before  they  are  regularly  received  into  the 
College.  If,  after  a  trial  of  three  months,  they  are 
considered  suitable  persons,  they  shall  be  received,  on 
condition  that  they  remain  six  years. 

LECTURES 

Must  be  attended  three  times  a  day ;  viz.,  at  nine  in 
the  morning ;  four  in  the  afternoon ;  and  at  eight 
o'clock  in  the  evening. 

The  Chinese  Students  are  expected  to  attend  prayer 
in  Chinese,  morning  and  evening,  every  day  in  the 
week  ;  and  to  be  present  to  hear  a  Sermon  in  the  Col- 
lege-hall on  Sundays. 

ALLOWANCES  TO  NATIVE  STUDENTS  ON  THE  FOUNDATION. 

They  receive  for  the  first  year,  three  rupees  month- 
ly ;  for  the  second  year,  five  rupees ;  for  the  third  and 
fourth  years,  six  rupees ;  for  the  fifth,  seven  rupees ; 
and  for  the  sixth  year,  eight  rupees.  Two  suits  of  a 
College  dress  annually. 

TUITION. 

They  shall  be  taught  to  read  and  understand  the 
Chinese  Classics  ;  to  read  and  understand  the  Chris- 
tian Scriptures ;  to  read  and  write  the  English  lan- 
guage. History,  Geography,  the  Use  of  the  Globes, 
Logic,  Moral  Philosophy,  Theology — Natural  and  Re- 
vealed, &c. 

PREPARATORY    SCHOOLS. 

The  Charity  Schools  of  the  London  Missionary  So- 
ciety at  Malacca,  of  Chinese  lads,  contain  on  an 
averc^e  about  one  hundred.    These  schools  are  visited 


1820.]  OF  THE  ANGLO-CHINESE  COLLEGE.  45 

by  the  Officers  of  the  Anglo-Chinese  College ;  and 
they,  although  not  originally  designed  to  do  so,  serve 
the  purpose  of  preparatory  schools  from  which  to  select 
youths  for  the  College. 

ADMISSION  OF  STUDEJ^rPS  SUPPORTED  BY  THEIR  FRIENDS. 

Any  person  desirous  of  educating  a  Chinese  youth, 
from  the  age  of  12  to  18,  may  support  him  at  the 
Anglo-Chinese  College  for  one  hundred  Spanish  dol- 
lars a  year.  Clothes,  washing,  and  a  servant,  if  one 
be  required,  are  not  included. 

An  European  youth  may  be  supported  at  the  Col- 
lege for  £100  per  annum.  For  this  sum  he  will  be  sup- 
plied with  food,  lodging,  washing,  and  education. 
Clothes  are  not  included.  If  a  servant  or  horse  be 
required,  the  Student  must  find  them  himself. 

The  Managers  of  the  College  will  engage  to  board, 
lodge,  clothe,  and  educate  a  destitute  Chinese  youth  ; 
or  a  fatherless,  or  orphan  lad,  for  £25  annually. 

ANGLO-CHINESE  COLLEGE. 

PATRONS. 

Lieutenant^Colonel  Farquhar,  Resident  of  Singapore, 
§rc.,  §rc. ;  the  Hon.  E.  Phillips,  Governor  of  Pinang  ; 
the  Hon.  J.  Erskine,  Member  of  Councily  Pinang;  and 
subsequently.  Sir  George  Thomas  Staunton,  Bart., 
&;c.,  &;c. 

TRUSTEES. 

Robert  Morrison,  D.D. ;  W.  Alers  Hankey,  Esq., 
Treasurer  of  the  London  Missionary  Society ;  the  Rev. 
George  Burder,  Secretary  of  the  London  Missionary 
Society ;  C.  W.  Crommelin,  Esq.,  G,ml  Service j  Ben- 
gal;  Lieut.-Col.  W.  Farquhar ;  D.  S.  Napier,  Esq. 

European  Officers  of  the  College  are  Trustees  by 
virtue  of  their  office. 


46  LAWS  AND  STATUES,  &C,  [1820. 

OFFICERS   OF   THE   COLLEGE. 
1.    A    PRESIDENT. 

He  may  or  may  not  be  resident  at  the  College,  but, 
whether  present  or  absent,  he  is  to  be  considered  the 
head  of  the  Institution,  and  to  take  precedence  accord- 
ingly. His  duty  is  to  promote  the  general  welfare  of 
the  College  in  every  department. 

2.    A  RESn)ENT   PRINCIPAL. 

Salary,  per  annum £100 

College  Table 100 

Native  Steward 25— £225 

3.    A  PROFESSOR  OF  CHINESE. 

Salary,   per  annum     .     .     .     ;     £100 

A   TREASURER. 

A  LIBRARIAN,  AND  KEEPER  OF  THE  MUSEUM. 
4.      A    NATIVE    CHINESE     MASTER. 

Salary,  66  rupees  per  month. 

Any  immorality,  generally  condemned  by  Christian 
churches,  shall  incapacitate  Europeans  from  holding 
offices  in  the  Anglo-Chinese  College. 

And  Native  Masters  and  Teachers  shall  be,  when 
practicable,  correct  moral  men,  according  to  the 
opinions  of  their  own  nation. 

The  duty  of  the  President  of  the  College  is,  to  pro- 
mote the  general  welfare  of  the  Institution  ;  and,  when 
present  at  the  College,  to  teach  such  departments  of 
knowledge  as  may  seem  to  him  expedient. 

The  Principal  has  the  ordinary  general  superin- 
tendence of  the  College  concerns  ;  and  is  to  teach  the 
Native  Students  the  English  language.  Geography, 


1820.]  ANGLO-CHINESE  COLLEGE  DEEP.  47 

the  Use  of  the  Globes,  Arithmetic,  and  Book-keeping; 
History,  and  such  other  branches  of  knowledge  as 
circumstances  may  direct. 

The  Professor  of  Chinese  is  to  teach  the  Chinese 
language  to  European  Students ;  also  to  teach  the 
Natives  Logic,  Theology — Natural  and  Revealed ; 
Ethics,  or  Moral  Philosophy ;  and  to  assist  the  Prin- 
cipal, as  circumstances  may  require,  and  his  time 
permit. 

The  Chinese  Master  is  to  teach  the  Chinese  Classics ; 
the  reading  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  and  other  books 
on  the  Christian  Religion,  in  the  Chinese  language ; 
to  assist  Foreign  Students  in  learning  Chinese ;  and 
to  teach  Chinese  writing  to  Native  and  to  Foreign 
Students. 

As  the  College  progresses,  the  mechanical  and  che- 
mical Sciences,  Natural  History,  Botany,  &c.,  will,  it 
is  hoped,  be  taught ;  also  Geometry,  and  the  higher 
branches  of  the  Mathematics.  The  plan  of  the  College 
does  not  exclude  any  branch  of  human  knowledge ; 
nor  any  one  of  the  circle  of  the  sciences. 

ANGLO-CHINESE   COLLEGE   DEED. 

"  I,  Robert  Morrison,  D.  D.  of  the  University  of 
Glasgow,  having  been  sent  to  China  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  One  Thousand  Eight  Hundred  and  Seven,  by  a 
Society  of  Christians,  meeting  in  London^  and  composed 
of  members  of  various  British  Churches,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  learning  the  Chinese  language,  rendering  the 
Sacred  Scriptures  into  the  said  tongue,  and  composing 
an  English- Chinese  Dictionary,  with  the  ulterior  view 
of  the  diffusion  of  the  Christian  Religion  in  China, 
and  the  Extra-Ganges  nations ;  and  having,  in  the 
year  1818,  nearly  brought  these  several  works  to  a 
conclusion,  my  mind  was  led  to  pray  to  God  for  direc- 


48  ANGLO-CHINESE  COLLEGB  DEED.  [1820. 

tion,  and  to  meditate  on  what  further  means  could  be 
used  to  bring  about  the  final  object  of  my  Mission. 

"  The  Divine  Providence  having  increased  my  per- 
sonal property  in  a  small  degree,  I  determined  to  ap- 
propriate One  Thousand  Pounds  sterling  to  found  a 
College,  to  be  called  the  Anglo-Chinese  College,  the 
object  of  which  should  be  the  cultivation  of  English 
and  Chinese  literature,  in  order  to  the  spread  of  the 
gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 

"As  the  above  preamble  shows,  the  cultivation  of 
literature  is  not  to  be  considered  the  final  object  of 
the  Institution,  but  attended  to  as  a  means  of  effectu- 
ating, under  the  blessing  of  God's  Holy  Spirit,  the 
conversion  to  the  faith  of  Christ  of  the  Extra-Ganges 
nations,  who  read  or  speak  the  Chinese  language ;  so, 
on  the  other  hand,  the  College  must  never  be  consi- 
dered as  a  mere  dwelling-house  for  Christian  mission- 
aries, but  as  a  place  devoted  to  study,  with  apartments 
only  for  the  Principal  of  College,  and  such  other  per- 
sons engaged  in  tuition,  or  the  appropriate  studies  of 
the  College,  as  it  can  accommodate  with  rooms. 

"  Having  entrusted  the  building  of  the  College  to  the 
Rev.  William  Milne,  my  first  associate  in  the  Chinese 
Mission,  and  we,  unitedly,  having  laid  our  views  and 
wishes  before  the  public,  soliciting  their  pecuniary  aid, 
and  they  having  confided  in  the  sincerity  of  our  in- 
tentions, and  deemed  our  object  laudable,  and  deserv- 
ing the  pecuniary  aid  of  Christians — all  monies  re- 
ceived from  the  donors  and  subscribers  (whose  names 
are  written  in  the  College  record)  are  to  be  considered 
as  appropriated  solely  and  inalienably  to  the  objects 
stated  in  the  preamble. 

"  The  College,  then,  and  its  funds,  shall  never  be  di- 
verted from  the  original  object,  stated  in  this  deed,  by 
any  authority  whatever ;  whether  by  the  will  of  the 


Bieso. 


K"]  COLLEGE  D££l>.  40 

Founder,  or  of  the  first  Principal  of  the  Anglo-Chineae 
College,  the  Rev.  William  Milne  ;  or  of  any  Trustees 
hereafter  to  be  appointed. 

"  May  He,  on  whose  shoulders  is  the  government  of 
the  world — who  has  all  power  in  heaven  and  on  earth 
L— recognise  this  offering,  humbly  designed  to  operate 
ns  a  means  of  bringing  many  sinners  to  obedience  and 
liappiness ;  and  may  He  secure  the  performance  of 
this  Deed.  To  His  Providence  the  Anglo-Chinese 
College  is  reverently  committed ;  and  may  the  whole 
Eastern  hemisphere  be  soon  filled  with  the  glorious 
light  of  His  gospel,  and  be  taught  to  ascribe  to  Him 
the  glories  of  creation  !     Amen,  and  amen  ! 

"Since  neither  Doctor  Morrison  nor  Mr.  Milne,  al- 
though the  Founders  of  the  Institution,  have  any 
power  to  alienate  either  the  building  or  the  funds  ot 
the  Anglo-Chinese  College,  so,  as  long  as  they  adhere 
to  the  original  object  of  it,  as  stated  above,  it  is  but 
equitable  and  seemly  that  the  first-named  should  be  a 
perpetual  Trustee,  and  the  last-named  perpetual  Prin- 
cipal, during  their  lives. 

"  The  Honourable  the  East  India  Company's  Pinang 
Government  having  granted,  at  the  request  of  Mr. 
Milne,  a  piece  of  ground  in  Malacca,  to  the  Mission- 
ary Society  (usually  called  the  London  Missionary 
Society),  and  that  Society  having,  at  the  request  of 
Dr.  Morrison  and  Mr.  Milne,  allotted  part  of  that 
ground  to  be  the  site  of  the  College;  the  ground,  as 
ivell  as  the  building  and  funds  (already  or  hereafter 
to  be  received)  cannot  be  alienated  from  the  aforesaid 
object  of  the  College. 

"  All  books  given  by  Dr.  Morrison,  and  various  o+ber 
donors  (whose  names  are  recorded),  to   the    Anglo- 
Chinese  College  Library,  shall  be  inalienable. 
Vol.  u.  k 


50  COLLROE  DEED.  [1820. 

'^  I  will  not  anticipate  the  failure  of  the  object  for 
which  these  grants  have  all  been  made,  and  therefore 
I  shall  not  insert  any  reservation  of  my  personal  pro- 
perty, in  case  of  the  object  failing ;  nor  stipulate  that 
in  case  of  such  an  event  occurring,  it  shall  revert  to 
my  heirs  and  successors.  I  have  a  firm  reliance  on 
the  Divine  Providence. 

^^  But  should  it  happen  that  circumstances  render  it 
impracticable  to  conduct  the  studies  of  the  College  at 
Malacca,  €he  premises  shall,  in  that  case,  be  sold,  and 
the  College  be  removed  to  some  other  place  in  Extra- 
Ounges  India.  No  merely  local  difficulties  shall  put 
an  end  to  the  Institution.  If  it  be  stopped  in  one 
place^  from  any  unforeseen  cause,  let  it  be  re-com- 
menced in  another. 

"  The  records  of  the  College  shall  always  be  open  to 
the  inspection  of  the  local  Christian  authorities  in  the 
place  where  it  may  be  situated ;  and  annually,  at  least, 
a  statement  of  its  affairs,  whether  showing  its  progress 
or  its  decline,  shall  be  laid  before  the  Christian  public 
in  a  printed  document. 

"  To  the  Spiritual  Church  of  Christ  on  earth — ^to  the 
learned,  the  scientific,  and  the  opulent,  and  also  to 
poor  and  unlearned  Christians — ^to  those  who,  next  to 
their  own  salvation,  desire  the  happiness  of  their  fellow- 
creatures,  of  every  nation  and  of  every  tongue,  the 
Anglo-Chinese  College  is,  by  this  Deed,  respectfully 
commended. 

"  In  case  of  a  failure  of  Trustees,  appointed  according 
to  the  constitution  of  the  College,  or  the  demise  of  Mr. 
Milne,  its  temporary  management  shall  devolve  on  the 
senior  member  of  the  Chinese  department,  and  the 
acting  committee  of  the  Ultra-Ganges  Missions ;  and 
in  case  of  the  failure  of  regularly  appointed  Trustees, 


1820.]  ^  COLLEGE  DEED.  51 

and  of  such  senior  member  and  committee,  the  manage- 
ment of  the  College  shall  devolve  on  the  above-named 
Missionary  Society  in  London. 

"  Sealed)  signed,  and  delivered,  at  Canton,  in  China, 
where  no  stamps  are  used,  this  twentieth  day  of  March, 
A.D.  One  Thousand  Eight  Hundred  and  Twenty. 

(Signed)  "  Robert  Morrison. 

"  In  the  presence  of  us,  who  have  hereunto  set  our 
names,  "J.  B.  Urmston, 

'*  Chief  for  all  afiairs  of  the  Honourable 
East  India  Company  in  China. 

"J.Reeves." 


a 


In  addition  to  the  above,  Mr.  Milne  drew  up 
Rules  and  Regulations  for  the  College  Library," 
which  was  to  consist  of  European  and  Foreign  Books, 
MSS.,  Maps,  Charts,  Drawings,  and  Philosophical 
Apparatus ;  to  which  was  to  be  attached  a  Museum 
of  natural  and  artificial  curiosities.  The  Library  was 
not  at  fij*st  very  extensive,  but  it  has  since  been  con- 
siderably increased  by  valuable  grants  of  books,  &c., 
from  Dr.  Morrison,  and  various  other  donors. 

A  copy  of  the  regulations  was  accompanied  by  the 
following  official  note  from  Mr.  Milne : — 

TO  THE  REV.  DR.  MORRISON,  FOITNDER  OF  THE  ANGLO- 
CHINESE  COLLEGE,  AND  ONG  OF  THE  TRUSTEES. 

«*  Anglo-Chinese  College,  Sept.  ISth,  1820. 

"  Rev.  Sir, 

"  I  have  the  honour  to  forward  herewith,  for  your 
inspection,  a  statement  relative  to  the  Anglo- Chinese 
College  Buildings,  &c.,  which  I  trust  will  prove 
satisfactory  to  you,  and  the  supporters  of  the  Institu- 
tion generally;  and  tend  to  maintain  your  undimi- 

E  2 


52  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1820. 

niflhed  attachment  to  the  establishment  of  which  you 
are  the  parent,  and  chief  supporter. 

^^  I  remain.  Rev.  Sir,  your  humble  servant, 

"  William  Milne, 

**  Principal  of  the  Anglo-Chinese  Coll^ey  and  n 
^'  Member  of  the  Managing  Committee.*' 

It  may  be  briefly  mentioned  here,  that  the  College 
building  is  a  plain  substantial  edifice,  90  feet  in 
length,  and  34  in  breadth,  with  a  verandah  back  and 
front,  supported  by  pillars;  it  is,  103  feet  long,  and 
162  wide.  The  interior  is  arranged  suitably  to  the 
nature  of  the  climate,  and  the  character  of  the  objects 
to  which  it  is  appropriated.  On  each  side,  are  arranged 
the  Chinese  and  English  printing  offices,  schools,  and 
apartments  for  native  masters,  workmen,  &c.  The 
situation  is  favourable  to  health  and  study,  being 
surrounded  by  a  piece  of  ground.  The  front,  which 
faces  the  sea,  is  shaded  by  a  row  of  senna  trees ;  and 
it  is  cooled  during  the  day  by  the  sea  breezes,  and 
during  the  night  by  the  land  breeze,  which  regularly 
sets  in. 

Mr.  Milne's  first  attempts  to  introduce  the  blessings 
of  education  were  strongly  opposed  by  the  prejudices 
of  the  people,  who  could  scarcely  be  persuaded  but 
that  political  designs,  not  benevolent  motives,  led 
foreigners  to  instruct  their  children  gratuitously;  so 
that,  in  order  to  overcome  their  indifference  to  the 
intellectual  state  of  their  of&pring,  it  was  found  neces* 
sary  to  grant  a  monthly  allowance  of  money,  equiva- 
lent to  what  their  sons  could  earn  by  manual  labour, 
as  an  inducement  to  secure  their  attendance  on  the 
means  of  bettering  even  their  physical  condition.  This, 
for  several  years,  greatly  increased  the  necessary  ex- 
penses of  the  Institution ;  but  for  the  last  few  years, 
the  system  has  been  discontinued,  as  prejudice  has 


10.3  KBOM  TMK   HEV.   W.  M1LN£.  03 

►een   overcome,  and    the  benefits  of  education  have 

►een  more  fully  appreciated. 
The  following  letter  from  Mr.  Milne,  describing  the 

ygtem  of  tuition  he  adopted    for   liis  pupils  at  this 

lerly  stage  of  the  Institution,  showa  also  the  zeal 
»ith  which  he  dbcliarged  the  duties  of  hia  important 
pituation : — 

TO  THE  REV.  DB.  MORRISON. 
"  Dear  Robert,  "  Mslacca,Sept.  20th,  1820. 

•'Tiie  Essays  of  your  boys  and  young  men  are 
favourable  specimens  of  improvement  in  Christian 
knowledge.  The  College  students  write  exercises  on 
Saturdays,  but  the  specimens  are  yet  far  inferior  to 
your  lad's.  The  people  about  me  like  the  Heang-heuu, 
*^ Village  Discourses,'  better  than  any  thing  I  have  yet 
written,  so  they  say  ;  this  affords  me  some  encourage- 
ment. I  should  like  to  know  if  your  people  can  make 
them  out. 

"  N.  B.  I  have  not  a  single  copy  of  your  Tour  of 
he  World,  though  hundreds  ought  to  have  been  here. 
Any,  many  calls  for  it,  and  not  a  single  copy  ;  what 
I  pity !     Can  you  not  get  a  hundred  copies  sent  to  us  1 
"  N.  B.    I  feel   myself  extremely  ignorant  of  the 
■oper  method  of  College  management.     Can  you  not 
[ve  me  pome  information?     I  will  tell  you  my  pre- 
sent plan,  and  then  you  will  be  able  to  tell  me  what  ia 
wanting ;  but  you  must  not  put  off  the  subject  by  say- 
^^fig  you  know  not,  you  have  better  means  of  enquiry 
Kan  I. 

^K  "  I.  Then.  The  lessons  are  read  in  the  hall,  where  is 
a  round  (oblong  rather)  table,  about  which  all  the 
party  sit  on  chairs,  and  I  sit  on  a  chair  not  any  higher 
lan  the  others. 
'*  IL  The*fir8t  lesson  is  before  breakfast,  at  seven 


54  RULES  OF  THB  COIXSOB*  [1820. 

o'clock,  when  the  higher  class  reads  the  Shoo-king,  ex- 
plained by  Lee ;  when  I  generally  ask  him  questions 
on  the  meaning,  partly  for  my  own  information,  and 
partly  for  theirs.  Afah,  Ajaou,  and  Gno,  are  in  this 
class. 

^'  III.  After  breakfast,  exactly  at  nine,  Bone  and 
Fleming  repeat  the  Yew-heo,  and  Chun  and  Chuen, 
the  Sze-shoo.  The  Yew  heo,  or  Catechism,  they  trans- 
late ;   this  lesson  is  short. 

"  IV.  At  twelve  all  meet,  when  the  higher  class 
reads  aloud  the  morning  lesson,  from  the  Shoo-king, 
and  the  second  class  reads  the  Ming  sin  paou  keen, 
and  translates  it.  I  correct  their  translations  and  the 
pronunciation,  with  the  Teacher's  help,  who  is  always 
there.  The  second  class  analyzes  a  character  each, 
then  the  whole  practise  two  characters  according  to 
the  tones,  and  the  four  students  in  the  second  class 
write  some  characters  in  sand  with  the  finger.  At  the 
writing,  some  of  the  Teachers  attend ;  I  am  only  now 
and  then  present. 

"V.  At  eight  in  the  evening,  Chun  and  Chuen 
repeat  again  the  Yew-he6.  The  others  are  variously 
employed. 

"  VI.  On  Monday,  the  second  class,  instead  of  read- 
ing the  mid-day  lesson,  learn  to  write  on  paper  with 
the  Teacher,  and  at  twelve  exhibit  specimens  of  their 
hand ;  then  I  make  them  write  before  me,  that  re- 
marks may  be  made  on  their  sitting,  holding  the  pen- 
cil, &c. 

"  VII.  On  Saturday,  the  lesson  at  mid-day  of  both 
classes  is  omitted,  when  the  second  class  all  exhibit 
written  Chinese  exercises,  which  I  correct,  and  Bone 
goes  likewise  over  the  English  Grammar. 

"  VIII.  On  Friday,  the  second  class  reads  over,  and 


RULES  OF  THE  COLLEOB.  6o 

fetranslates,  all  they  had  read  and  tranalpted  through 
ihe  other  days  of  the  week. 

'  IX.  Five  days  in  tlie  week  I  exjilaiii  tlie  gospel 
of  Matthew  iu  order  to  Afah,  for  his  information  as  a 
I     student,  for  about  twenty  or  thirty  minutes. 
^L     "  X.  Afl  they  all  attend  the  usual  exercises  of  reli- 
^Kion,  there  are  no  particular  services  for  them  yet. 

"  XL  I  hegan  last  year  to  give  those  that  attended 
some  idea  of  the  English  language,  two  or  three  sen- 
tences per  day,  intending,  as  soon  as  they  had  about 
a  hundred  words  or  ao,  to  give  them  the  language  in 
order ;  but  finding  it  too  much  for  my  strength,  I  asked 
Medhurst  to  do  it,  which  he  did  for  some  weeks  in  the 
spring  and  summer,  and  suddenly  left  it  off.  Since 
then  I  have  not  been  able  to  resume  it,  but  I  intend  to 
do  80  next  month.  I  have  spoken  to  Fleming,  and  I 
think,  if  he  take  pains,  the  best  way  to  secure  his 
constancy  to  it,  will  be  to  allow  him  your  premium  for 
his  services. 

"  XII.  The  students  do  not  repeat  much,  nor  do 

^miiiey  recite  in  the  whining  Chinese  way  as  yet,  tliough 

^K  confess  myself  very  partial  to  that  system. 

^f    "  XIII.  Occasional  information  of  a  geographical 

',     kind  has  been  given,  but  no  stated  lectures,  which, 

however,  must  now  be  attempted,  as  well  as  something 

in  history ;  but  as  my  strength  }ias  limits,  and  many 

other  things  press  hard  on  me,  I  must  go  on  to  things 

by  degrees. 

"Now,  as  tuition  is  in  fact  every  thing,  I  wish  all  the 
information  you  can  give,  or  procure,  either  from 
Chinese  Colleges  or  European,  as  to  the  manner  in 
which  I  ought  to  conduct  myself  among  them — how 
to  address  them — what  is  decent  and  proper  in  such 
I  Institution  as  this — as  to  my  seat  among  the  stu- 
jents,  intercourse  with  them,  furniture  of  the  rooms. 


Sa  COLLEGE  STUDIES.  [1820. 

arrangement  of  the  study,  discipline,  forms  of  entrance, 
departure,  &c.  &c.  In  short,  on  every  subject  of  this 
kind ;  for  you  know  that  I  have  had  but  imperfect 
opportunities  of  informing  myself  on  many  points,  and 
it  is  perhaps  better  for  both,  that  my  defects  in  this 
way  be  supplied  by  yourself  than  by  any  other. 

"  Yours  ever. 

The  above  system  of  tuition  varied  as  education  pro- 
gressed, and  as  the  number  of  students  increased  in  the 
College,  until  1828.  Since  which  period  the  following 
course  of  instruction  has  been  pursued,  with  little  va- 
riation, to  the  present  time. 

'^  As  the  primary  objects  of  the  Institution  are  the 
cultivation  of  English  and  Chinese  literature,  the  la- 
bours of  the  students  are  divided  between  the  acquisi- 
tion of  these  respective  branches  of  knowledge ;  and 
nearly  an  equal  proportion  of  time  is  allotted  to  each. 
The  first  class  has  studied  Geography  with  the  use  of 
the  Globes,  and  is  now  going  through  a  course  of 
lectures  on  the  principles  of  Astronomy.     Some  of 
them  have  attended  to  Mathematics,  in  which  they 
have  proceeded  to  the  third  book  of  Euclid.     Part  of 
a  Catechism  on  miscellaneous  subjects,  containing  a 
general  outline  of  Astronomy,  Geography,  Morality, 
&c.,  has  been  translated  by  them  ;   and  one  of  them, 
who  has  now  left,  had  commenced  the  study  of  general 
history.     This  class  is  employed  at  present  in  trans- 
lating  portions  of  Joyce's  Scientific  Dialogues  into 
Chinese.  The  boys  are  accustomed  to  render  verbally 
out  of  one  language  into  the  other,  are  rigidly  exer- 
cised in  parsing,  and  required  to  give  the  correspond- 
ing terms  in  Chinese  of  each  word  or  phrase,  as  it 
occurs,  and  to  furnish  the  appropriate  rules  of  syntax ; 


ttl 


COLLEGE  STUDIES.  67 

a  portion  of  their  time  is  employed  in  writing,  and 
in  studying  arithmetic  :  they  have  committed  to  me- 
mory Murray's  Abridgment  of  English  Grammar,  and 
are  going  through  his  exercises  on  rules  for  parsing. 

'*  They  also  write  English  translations  of  Chinese 
works,  and  have  some  of  the  best  of  their  own  booka 
read  and  explained  to  them  by  a  Native  Teacher. 

"  The  boys  of  the  second  class  study  Chinese  rather 
more  closely  than  those  of  the  first :  they  are  occu- 
pied in  writing,  in  arithmetic,  in  learning  colloquial 
sentences  of  Chinese  and  English,  and  in  translating 
alternately  from  one  language  into  the  other. 

'*  The  junior  classes  are  employed  on  the  elementary 
parts  both  of  Chinese  and  English  ;  they  are  daily  ex- 
'ercised  in  turning  Chinese  into  English,  and  vice 
versa,  and  in  committing  to  memory  easy  sentences 
of  English  with  a  Chinese  translation.  All  the  stu- 
dents are  early  taught  to  distinguish  the  different  parts 
of  speech,  and  to  assign  to  each  word  its  specific  mean- 
ing in  the  other  language.  It  is  rather  unfortunate, 
that  for  the  grammatical  terms  in  the  English  there 
are  no  corresponding  ones  in  the  Chinese.  Words  in 
the  latter,  answering  to  verbs  in  the  former,  are  indeed 
designated  as  living  characters,  and  those  which  cor- 
respond to  substantives  as  dead  ones ;  but  then,  by 
merely  changing  the  position  of  a  word,  it  may  be- 
come any  other  part  of  speech.  Position,  not  con- 
cord or  government,  is  the  distinguishing  peculiarity 
of  the  Chinese  language ;  and  hence  it  is  obvious  that 
there  must  be  considerable  difficulty  in  accustoming  a 
China-man  to  arrange  the  parts  of  speech  accurately, 
,nd  attend  to  an  exact  collocation  of  those  particles, 
hich,  in  English,  are  necessary  to  the  sense  as  well 
as  to  perspicuity,  but  which  are  seldom  used  in 
Chinese  except  for  the  sake  of  euphony. 


58  WORKS  PRnVTED  AT  [1820. 

^^  Religious  instruction  is  daily  communicated  to  the 
students.  They  all  attend  the  reading  of  the  Scrip- 
tures and  prayer  in  the  College,  before  they  com- 
mence their  studies.  They  learn,  during  the  day, 
select  portions  of  Catechisms,  or  other  books  on  reli- 
gious subjects,  are  made  acquainted  with  sacred  his- 
tory, and  are  taught  the  principles  of  the  Christian 
religion  as  these  are  laid  down  in  the  Scriptures.  They 
all  attend  Divine  Worship  on  the  Sabbath,  when 
service  is  performed  in  their  own  langui^e.  The 
Chinese  workmen  voluntarily  attend  with  them ;  and 
some  of  them  with  great  regularity.  Service  is  con- 
ducted in  the  Mission  Chapel  on  the  Sabbath  forenoon, 
and  in  the  College  Hall  morning  and  evening."* 

•  The  religious  instructions  by  Dr.  Milne,  and  his  suc- 
cessors, have  been  blessed  to  the  conversion  of  several 
of  the  Teachers,  Printers,  and  Students,  among  whom 
should  be  especially  noticed,  the  faithful  Evangelist 
Leang-Afa,  whose  sincerity  has  stood  the  test  of  per- 
secution, and  who  continues,  to  the  present  day,  a  mo- 
nument of  that  grace  which  could  alone  keep  him 
from  falling. 

From  the  Anglo-Chinese  College  press,  have  issued 
several  works  of  importance.  Besides  the  Gleaner  and 
Chinese  Magazine,  already  noticed,  there  have  since 
been  published  Fremare's  Notia  lingusB  SenicsB,  the 
MS.  of  which  was  presented  to  the  College  by  Viscount 
Kingsborough,  with  £1500  to  defray  the  printing  of 
it;  Mr.  Collie's  translation  of  the  Chinese  classical 
book,  called  The  Four  Books ;  Dr.  Morrison's  Notices 
Concerning  China,  the  Domestic  Instructer,  a  work 
consisting  of  four  volumes  in  Chinese ;  also  the  Sacred 
Scriptures,  Religious  Tracts,  &c.  The  number  of 
Students   in   the    Establishment   have  varied    from 


ri820.] 


THE  MALACCA  PRESS. 


69 


I 


twenty  to  sixty.     To  this  very  imperfect  sketch,  may 
be  added  a  Notice  of  Malacca,  by  a  gentleman  of  high 
Intellectual  attainments    and   enlightened  principles, 
who  visited  the  College  about  the  year  1828  or  1829; 
it  wae  intended  for  a  Periodical  work  tlien  being  pub- 
lished by  the  gentlemen  residing  in  China  ;  the  writer 
Iwaa  the  late  Mr.  Charles  Maijoribanks,  President  of 
the  Select  Committee,  and  M.  P.  for  Perth. 
I     "  Malacca  was  one  of  the  first  European  possessions 
ID  Asia,  being  captured  by  the  Portuguese  a  very  few 
^ears  after  the  successful  voyage  of  Vasco  de  Gama, 
I      rouad  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.     It  is  not  imagined 
that  they  did  much  to  improve  the  moral  condition  of 
|i      the  natives.     We  are  told  by  St.  Francis  Xavier,  who 
I^Visited  it,  that  'the  excess  and  number  of  their  vices 
^Hdistinguished    the  Christians  from   the    unbelievers.' 
^HThe  Dutch,  who   succeeded  the  Portuguese  at  Ma- 
^^Utcca,  it  is  probable,  were  even  more  remarkable  for 
^Hihe  extent  of  this  distinction.    The  remains  of  some  of 
I^^its  former  martyrs,  repose  within  the  walls  of  the  old 
church  on  Malacca  Hill ;  it  was  first  a  Roman  Catholic, 
then  a  Protestant  place  of  worship  and  burial,  and  it 
is  now  a  picturesque  ruin.     Jesuit  Apostles  of  the 
East,  some  of  whom  are  styled  Bishop  of  Siam,  China, 

»  Japan,  sleep,  side  by  side,  with  burgomasters  ;  but  as 
the  tombs  are  exposed  to  the  elements,  the  records  of 
the  deeds  of  these  missionaries  and  merchants  are  fast 
fading  away  ;  and  when  it  is  considered  how  little  im- 
provement in  the  condition  of  their  fellow-men  in  the 
eastern  world,  we  see  the  obliterating  hand  of  time 
I  upon  their  monuments  with  less  sorrow  and  regret. 
I  Let  every  passing  stranger  visit  the  old  church;  it  is  a 
1  dtuation  of  much  beauty  and  useful  iustruction. 

'  It  is  satisfactory  to  see  this  interesting  settlement 


60  MIL  MABJORIBANKS'  OPINION  [1820^ 

of  Malacca  once  more  subject  to  the  English  Goyem- 
ment.  The  old  fort,  the  joint  work  of  the  Portuguese 
and  Dutch,  was  one  of  the  strongest  in  ABia ;  but  on 
its  first  capture  by  the  English,  the  fortifications  were 
blown  up,  which,  from  their  solid  strength,  was  no  easy 
task.  But  there  are  buildings  at  Malacca  more  inter- 
esting to  a  stranger  then  either  old  forts  or  churches ; 
first  and  foremost  of  these,  is  the  Anglo-Chinese  C!ol« 
lege. 

^^This  well  regulated  institution  owed  its  origin 
and  foundation  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison,  whose  pro- 
found and  extensive  knowledge  of  the  Chinese  lan- 
guage has  secured  to  him  deserved  celebrity.  He,  with 
great  liberality,  appropriated  a  large  sum  for  the  build- 
ing of  the  College,  which  has  since  been  supported 
by  voluntary  contributions,  and  has  also  received  the 
countenance  of  the  Company's  government,  though 
by  no  means  to  the  extent  which  its  great  and  import- 
ant objects  deserve:  it  is  an  Institution,  the  merits  of 
which  are  too  little  known,  and  the  advantages  likely 
to  arise  from  it  too  little  appreciated.  By  some  it  is 
thought  unworthy  of  attention,  because  it  is  of  Mis- 
sionary origin.  It  is  believed,  that  such  illiberal  views 
are  fast  fading  away,  and  whatever  differences  may 
exist  in  religious  creeds,  it  is  hoped,  that  an  Institution 
so  much  calculated  to  improve  and  humanize  a  por^ 
tion  of  our  species,  will  be  considered  deserving  of 
every  encouragement  by  men  of  liberal  and  enlight- 
ened minds.  The  gentlemen  who  have  successively 
presided  over  the  Anglo-Chinese  College  have  been 
distinguished  for  simplicity  of  life  and  benevolence  of 
disposition,  independently  of  the  peculiar  acquire- 
ments of  the  Malay  and  Chinese  languages  which 
qualified  them  for  their  duties.  I  speak  from  a  per- 
sonal knowledge  of  the  man,  when  I  affirm  that  the 


1820.]  RESPECTING  THE  CiiLLEOE.  61 

late  Dr.  Milne,  for  several  years  Principal  of  tlie  Col- 
lege, with  more  Christian  humility  than  most  men, 
combined  the  love  of  science  and  learning  with  the 
enthusiasm  of  religion,  and  anxiously  devoted  his 
time,  and  sacrificed  his  life,  in  the  cause  in  which 
he  was  engaged.  The  late  Mr.  Collie,  who  is  also 
gone  to  receive  his  reward  in  a  better  world,  is 
said  to  have  spoken  Chinese  with  the  pronuncia- 
tion and  idiom  of  a  native.  Let  not  the  pride  of 
"Western  learning  regard  with  contempt  an  institu- 
tion founded  and  directed  by  such  men.  Let  un- 
worthy jealousies  be  laid  aside,  and  let  it  be  gener- 
ously considered,  that  if  the  well-being  of  our  fellow 
men  in  this  world,  and  their  eternal  welfare  in  another, 
be  accomplished,  the  hands  by  which  the  good  work 
is  done  is  a  matter  of  comparative  indifference.  The 
object  of  the  Anglo-Chinese  College  is  the  instruction 
of  Chinese  boys,  who  would  otherwise  receive  no  in- 
struction at  all :  they  are  taught  their  own  and  the 
English  language  and  elements  of  useful  science. 
No  profession  of  religious  belief  is  required  on  enter- 
ing the  Institution,  nor  are  compulsory  means  in  any 
way  employed  with  a  view  to  conversion.  Such  of 
them  as  evince  any  inclination,  receive  every  encou- 
ragement to  become  Christians ;  if  otherwise,  they  still 
acquire  a  useful  and  moral  education.  When  I  visited 
the  College,  it  contained  upwards  of  thirty  Students. 
Were  its  funds  greater,  its  opportunities  of  doing  good 
would  necessarily  be  more  extensive.  It  was  a  source 
of  much  gratification  to  hear  nearly  every  one  of  those 
hoys  reading  with  fluency  the  Bible  in  the  Chinese 
and  English  languages.  Many  of  them  wrote  elegantly 
hoth  Chinese  and  English,  and  had  attained  consider- 
able proficiency  in  Arithmetic,  Geography,  the  use  of 
the  Globes,  and  general  history.  Thus  does  a  son  of  a 


62  MR.  MARJ0R1BANK8*  OPimON  [1820. 

Malacca  peasant  derive   an  enlightened  education, 
denied  to  the  son  of  the  Emperor  of  China. 

^^  Mr.  Kiddy  now  Principal  of  the  College,  appears  to 
take  a  lively  and  sincere  interest  in  those  under  his 
charge.  He  considers  their  capacity  fully  equal  to  that 
of  European  children,  and  many  of  them  are  most 
anxious  and  desirous  of  instruction.  It  is  a  source  of 
regret  that  there  are  not  sufficient  funds  to  extend  the 
building,  so  as  to  enable  the  boys  to  remain  in  the 
College  during  the  night,  as  the  houses  of  their  parents 
are  often  far  from  being  places  where  morality  is  to  be 
acquired ;  but  when  the  sphere  of  usefulness  of  this 
excellent  establishment  is  more  generally  known,  it  is 
hoped  provision  will  be  made  against  this  defect.  Many 
Chinese,  who  have  been  educated  at  the  College,  have 
entered  into  different  pursuits  of  life,  and  the  superior 
advantages  which  they  have  been  seen  to  possess  over 
their  less  fortunate  countrymen,  have  greatly  increased 
the  popularity  and  reputation  of  this  institution.  Many 
are  employed  by  merchants,  and  as  clerks  in  public 
offices ;  and  where  there  is  an  extensive  Chinese  popu- 
lation, their  combined  knowledge  of  their  own  with 
the  English  langui^e,  in  addition  to  their  good  con- 
duct, has  eminently  qualified  them  for  such  situations. 
I  went  into  the  shop  of  a  Chinese  retail  merchant,  at 
Malacca,  which  was  conspicuous  for  its  well-ordered 
neatness ;  he  said  to  me,  in  the  most  correct  idiom,  ^  I 
have  had  the  good  fortune  to  be  educated  at  the  Col- 
lege under  Dr.  Milne,  for  whose  memory  I  have  the 
greatest  respect,  and,  I  assure  you,  I  have  derived 
great  advants^e  from  the  instruction  he  gave  me.'  I 
asked  him  if  he  had  a  family,  he  answered,  ^  as  yet  only 
one  son.'  I  expressed  a  hope  that  he  might  have  many 
more,  and  that  he  would  give  them  the  same  educa- 
tion he  received  himself,  and  that  they  might  turn  out 


HE9PECTINO  TIIK  COLLEGE.  63 

as  respectable  men  as  their  father.  He  anwsered,  *  I 
hope  you  may  be  as  fortunate  in  your  children.'  Upon 
asking  him  if  he  followed  up  his  studies,  he  said  he 
waa  very  fond  of  English  reading,  and  that  he  gene- 
rally ^vTote  down  passages  which  pleased  him ;  that, 
if  I  chose,  he  would  show  me  his  common-place  book. 
From  a  drawer,  in  his  Chinese  cabinet,  he  took  out  a 
thick  manuscript  volume.  Amid  receipts  in  Chinese 
and  English  for  different  chemical  mixtures,  as  well 
for  cookery  as  medicine,  were  extracts  from  Confucius 
and  from  English  standard  works.  Among  other 
pieces  of  poetry,  I  observed  Cowper's  well-known  linea 
to  his  mother's  picture,  which  lie  said  he  got  by  heart 
from  thinking  them  very  beautiful.  This  was  a 
Chinese  retail  shop-keeper,  a  dealer  in  tea,  tobacco, 
and  snuff;  nor  did  I  discern  any  thing  in  his  superior 
information  which  in  any  way  disqualified  him  for 
the  duties  of  his  situation.  I  afterwards  understood 
Lthat  he  was  frugal,  industrious,  and  prosperous.  He 
I  said  it  was  not  his  intention  to  go  to  China.  '  I  dis- 
like,'  he  added, '  its  arbitrary  government.'  How  much 
must  ideas  and  feelings,  such  as  these,  diffusing  them- 
selves however  gradually  through  the  Chinese  public 
mind,  tend  to  dispel  the  prejudice  of  ignorance,  and  to 
break  down  the  great  wall  of  Chinese  jealousy  and 
restriction.  The  means  are  still  imperfect  and  inade- 
■  quate  to  the  end,  but  even  now  there  is  a  library  and 
fcpriuting  press  attached  to  the  College,  and  a  newspaper 
in  the  Chinese  language,  has  been  lately  printed. 
May  these  apparently  small  beginnings  not  be  de- 
spised, but  receive  the  powerful  assistance  of  govern- 
ment, as  well  as  the  aid  of  private  benevolence.  I 
was  on  a  rocky,  and  now  almost  barren  bland  of  the 
Hebrides,  where  Dr.  Johnson  exclaimed,  '  We  are  now 
treading  that  illustrious  soil  which  was  once  the  Umii- 


64  A  LETTER  FROM  [1820. 

narjr  of  the  Caledonian  regions,  whence  savi^e  clans 
and  roving  barbarians  derived  the  light  of  knowledge 
and  the  blessings  of  religion/  May  Malacca  prove 
the  lona  of  these  regions,  and  long  resemble  it  in  every 
thing  but  its  ruins/' 

Upon  the  retrenchments  which  followed  on  Lord 
Wm.  Bentick's  appointment  to  the  Government  of 
India,  the  annual  allowance  of  1200  dollars  made  by 
the  East  India  Company  was  withdrawn  from  the 
College,  but  the  writer  of  the  preceding  detail,  with 
the  other  members  of  the  select  committee,  in  the  most 
prompt  and  generous  manner,  made  up  the  deficiency 
unsolicited.  The  manner  in  which  their  resolution 
was  made  known  to  Dr.  Morrison,  may  be  seen  by  the 
following  letter : — 

TO  THE  REV.  DR.  MORRISON,  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  ANGLO- 

CHINESE  COLLEGE  AT  MALACCA. 

"  Sm,  *'  British  Factory,  Canton,  Jan.  7th,  1831. 

"  We  have  to  acquaint  you,  that  we  have  learned, 
with  much  regret,  that  the  allowance,  which  had  been 
made  by  the  Pinang  Government,  of  100  dollars  per 
month  to  the  College  over  which  you  preside,  had 
lately  been  withdrawn.  We  have  considered  it  our 
duty  to  make  the  same  grant  for  this  current  year  in 
the  name  of  the  East  India  Company,  having  recom- 
mended its  continuance  to  the  Court  of  Directors,  and 
entreated  their  further  countenance  and  support  to  the 
Institution.  We  have  ourselves  a  firm  conviction  of 
its  excellence.  We  believe  it  to  be  eminently  calcu- 
lated to  diflbse  the  light  of  knowledge  and  of  useful 
instruction  through  the  most  remote  possessions  of 
Great  Britain,  and  to  assist  in  removing  those  preju- 
dices, which  have  so  long  fettered  the  public  mind  of 


1820.]  THE  SELECT  COMMITrSE.  65 

this  country,  subjected  it  to  the  influence  of  an  exclu- 
sive nationalty,  and  induced  it  to  regard  with  indif- 
ference every  thing  foreign  to  its  established  usages 
and  literature. 

"By  the  means  of  liberal  education  so  readily 
afforded  to  the  natives  of  England  as  well  as  China, 
in  the  learning  and  languages  of  either  country,  we 
consider  the  intercourse  between  the  subjects  of  the 
two  empires  will  be  materially  facilitated. 

"  Wishing  the  Anglo-Chinese  College  every  pros- 
perity, and  believing  that  it  is  an  Institution  which 
requires  only  to  be  more  generally  known,  to  have  its 
important  objects  universally  appreciated, 
"  We  remain.  Sir, 

"  Your  most  obedient  Servants, 
(Signed)  "  Charles  Marjoribai^ks, 

"  J.  F.  Davis, 
"J.  N.  Daniell, 
«  T.  C.  Smith." 

The  Anglo-Chinese  College  has  not  of  late  years 
met  with  that  degree  of  support  which  it  merits  from 
the  benevolent  public,  and  were  it  not  for  the  annual 
allowance  of  <;9'1200,  first  made  by  the  East  India 
Company's  factory  in  China,  and  since  continued  by 
Her  Majesty's  Government,  the  Institution  must  ere 
this  have  fallen  to  the  ground ;  for  dear  as  its  interests 
were  to  the  heart  of  its  founder,  it  is  believed,  that 
the  only  aid  it  receives  from  the  British  public,  is 
a  small  sum  raised  by  an  Association  in  Manchester, 
formed  in  1824,  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Clunie,  whose  un- 
remitted efforts  to  promote  its  welfare,  show  not  only 
his  sense  of  the  importance  of  the  Institution,  but  also 
prove  his  attachment  to  the  memory  of  his  departed 
friend. 

Vol.  il  f 


66  ARRIVAL  OF  [1820. 

Agreeably  with  the  request  of  Dr.  Morrison  and 
Mr.  Milne,  several  missionaries  were  sent  out  by 
the  London  Missionary  Society  to  Malacca  and  the 
surrounding  stations,  which  were  denominated  the 
Ultra-Ganges  Mission.  For  the  maintenance  of  order, 
and  co-operation  among  the  members  of  the  mission, 
they  formed  a  Union,  in  which  certain  principles  of 
government  were  agreed  to,  and  signed  by  each.  As 
this  Union  is  occasionally  referred  to  in  Mr.  Milne^s 
letters,  a  copy  of  its  rules,  &c.,  will  be  appended 
to  this  volume,  for  the  reader^s  information.  From 
these  letters  it  would  appear,  that  a  spirit  of  dis« 
affection  and  insubordination  in  some  of  the  junior 
members  of  the  mission,  was  a  source  of  much  trouble 
and  anxiety  to  Mr.  M.,  and  he  expresses  his  feelings 
on  the  subject  to  his  friend,  in  the  most  unreserved 
manner,  deprecating  a  system  which  he  considered 
contrary  to  the  principles  that  govern  other  ecclesias- 
tical, or  political  bodies,  whose  agents  are  qualified 
by  practical  knowledge  of  their  affairs,  before  entering 
on  the  legislative  department  of  them;  whereas,  in 
this  instance,  young  men  just  arrived  from  England, 
ignorant  of  the  difiiculties  which  their  predecessors 
had  to  overcome,  and  without  due  regard  to  the  pre- 
judices of  the  people  among  whom  they  were  to  labour, 
immediately  began  to  act  independently  of  their  seniors 
in  the  service,  and  in  violation  of  those  regulations 
by  which  they  had  consented  to  be  governed.  The 
arrival  of  a  printer  at  this  time,  afforded  timely  assist- 
ance to  Mr.  Milne,  and  tended  to  cheer  his  mind 
under  his  various  duties  and  trials.  His  letters  are  so 
illustrative  of  his  character,  and  of  the  peculiar  circum- 
stances in  which  he  was  placed,  that  several  extracts 
from  them  are  here  given. 


1820.]  A  PRINTER  AT  MALACCA.  67 

TO  THS  REV.  DR.  MORRISON, 
"  Dear  Robert,  "  Malacca,  Sept.  30th,  1820. 

"  Mrs.  M.  and  child  have  left  this  aftemoon  for 
Pinang — ^but  Mr.  G.  H.  Huttmann  has  just  arrived  to 
take  charge  of  the  printing,  so  that  I  trust  we  shall  be 
ere  long  on  a  fully  better  footing  than  before.  His 
instructions,  a  copy  of  which  I  will  send  you,  place 
him  more  entirely  under  my  direction  than  any  for- 
mer one ;  he  seems  willing  to  fall  in  with  existing 
rules ;  and  I  trust  next  number  you  will  see  *  Anglo- 
Chinese*  is  in  its  usual  place.  I  have  now  him,  Flem- 
ing, and  Bone,*  all  of  whom  I  trust  are  wishing  to 
help — ^they  declare  so,  and  on  our  own  principles  too, 
which  is  something.  But  though  I  feel  glad  of  this, 
as  a  seasonable  relief,  yet  they  will  not  be  able  to  do 
much  for  some  time,  nor  will  I,  any  more,  lay  stress 
on  *  man,  who  is  but  a  worm.'  I  enclose  a  copy  of  a 
letter  to  Mr.  Huttmann,  which  he  requested,  and  a 
copy  of  which  I  have  sent  home;  and  I  trust  the 
Society  will  see  from  it,  what  our  aims  and  wishes  are, 
and  that  it  will  operate  against  the  ill-natured  remarks 
which  have  been  circulated  against  us.  I  have  not 
written  any  thing  to  the  Society  about  these  vexations, 
but  mentioned  to  Mr.  Bogue  that  I  wished  T.  were 
removed  to  another  station,  for  I  fear  he  has  been 
the  abettor  of  these  things.  M.  also  talks  of  going 
away,  which,  but  for  Mrs.  M.'s  sake,  I  should  have 
no  objection  to.  But  what  will  you  think  when  I 
tell  you  that  he  has  clandestinely  seized  on  the  Malay 
matrixes,  and  taken  privately  out  of  the  office  several 
cases  of  types  1 

"  Huttmann  is  quite  disgusted,  and  feels  himself  in- 

*  Persons  of  European  extraction. 

F  2 


68  LETTERS  FROM  [1820. 

suited  by  this  clandestine  method  of  removing  the 
very  chief  means  by  which  he  was  to  render  him- 
self useful.  I  really  have  not  words  to  express  my 
sense  of  this  mean  piece  of  conduct.  And  more, 
the  portable  press  which  Thoms  sent  down  for  the 

Malacca  Mission,  M.  has  taken  with  him  to  Pinang. 

•  •••••• 

"  To  T.  I  have  yet  said  nothing,  as  I  fondly  hope 
his  own  mind  will  induce  him  to  restore  the  things 
he  has  taken  away.  I  have  placed  the  office  and 
people  entirely  under  Huttmann,  as  I  have  no  fear 
but  he  will  take  care  of  all  that  is  actually  in  it. 
Fleming  takes  the  schools,  and  Bone  will  assist  in 
making  up  parcels,  circulating  tracts,  transcribing 
letters,  &c. 

"  Two  more  brethren  are  on  their  way  out.  The 
Lord,  in  mercy  to  us  and  his  cause,  grant  they  may 
be  men  of  peace ! 

"  I  send  a  copy  of  my  letter  to  the  Directors,  which 
please  to  forward  to  them.  They  have  very  kindly 
permitted  me  to  go  to  the  Cape,  or  to  Europe,  for  my 
health.  You  will  see  from  what  I  have  written,  that 
it  is  not  likely  I  shall  go,  unless  I  be  obliged.''  •  •  • 

FROM  THE  SAME. 

"  Dear  Robert,  "  October  20,  1820. 

"  I  send  you  a  rough  copy  of  my  ^  Treatise  on  the 
Soul,'*  not  having  had  time  to  revise  the  transcript,  or 
to  point  it.  I  beg  you  to  take  the  trouble  to  read  it, 
and  offer  your  corrections  and  remarks. 

"  Some  time  past  our  Governor  said  to  me,  *  Mr. 
Milne,  I  know  very  well  the  utility  of  your  objects ; 
but  some  of  your  own  friends  (or  countrymen,  I  do  not 

*  In  Ghmese. 


1820.]  TUB  REV.  DR.  MILNE.  69 

remember  which)  have  tried  to  injure  your  cause  in 
the  eyes  of  our  government*  here,  intimating  that 
your  College  was  connected  with  the  East  India  Com- 
pany's government,  and  supported  by  it,  and  had  to 
effisct  its  secret  designs ;  but  I  pay  no  attention  to 
such  insinuations,  knowing  that  they  proceed,  perhaps, 
from  a  little  jealousy.'  These,  if  not  the  very  words, 
were  the  substance  of  what  he  said,  and  which  induced 
me  to  put  in  that  clause  in  the  printed  statement  about 
the  College  being  unconnected  with  political  bodies. 

"  Now,  who  could  this  silly,  lying  informer  be  ?     I 
will  not  dare  to  say  who,  as  I  am  not  certain ;  but 

it  was  only  yesterday  that seriously  told  Hutt- 

mann  as  follows :  ^  Don't  think  that  I  wish  to  poison 
your  mind,  but  attend  to  this, — ^  Morrison  and  Milne's 
schemes  are  at  bottom  political :  there  is  nothing  they 
aim  at,  but  to  wrest  the  whole  concerns  out  of  the 
Society's  hands,  and  put  them  into  those  of  the  Com- 
pany. I  see  very  well  how  it  will  be — I  see  through 
the  mask — ^they  will  no  doubt  succeed — ^they  will  get 
money.  Morrison  got  4000  dollars  for  something,  I 
believe,  going  to  Peking.'  Huttmann  :  *  My  instruc- 
tions refer  me  to  Mr.  Milne,  and  I  am  ordered  by  the 
Directors  to  promote  the  Gleaner.  I  don't  see,  when  Mr. 
Milne  and  Dr.  M.  promise  to  devote  the  profits  of  the 
Gleaner  to  objects  so  much  of  a  Missionary  nature, 
they  can  have  any  different  object  in  view.'  T. 
*  Well,  mark  what  I  tell  you— don't  say  afterwards 
that  no  one  informed  you.  As  for  their  Gleaner,  it 
will  be  paid  for — ^they  will  get  paid  (meaning  from  the 
Company)  for  ilr— oh !  yes — ^they  will  be  happy  to 
take  you  also  into  their  pay — and  they  will  pay  you 
too,  if  you  like  to  give  up  the  Society's  objects.'    Hutt* 

*  The  Dutch  GoverameDt. 


70  LSTTERS  FROM  [1820. 

mann  came  away  quite  didgusted,  and  with  an  impres- 
sion exceedingly  against  T.  You  must  see,  Robert, 
from  this  attempt  to  poison  a  young  man's  mind 
against  us,  that  the  sooner  we  get  rid  of  this  person  the 
better.  I  do  wish  he  would  remove,  or  that  we  had 
power  to  suspend  him  entirely.  What  have  we  to 
look  for  while  he  remains  under  the  influence  of  that 
spirit  ?  "  W.  MiLNB.** 

from  the  same. 
^^  Dear  Robert, 

"  Your's  of  December  9th,  15th,  and  20th,  came  to 
hand  yesterday  by  Mr.  Matheson,  accompanied  by 
various  translations  from  the  Peking  Gazette ;  Reeves' 
Astronomical  Appendix  to  your  Dictionary ;  some 
American  papers  and  pamphlets ;  Bogue's  Essay ; 
papers  for  the  Gleaner  and  Magazine;  Carlisle  on 
Grammar  Schools ;  Peking  Gazettes ;  and,  as  I  under* 
stand  (for  it  is  not  yet  come  on  shore),  a  box  of  tea, 
for  which  accept  my  best  thanks.  This  is,  I  believe, 
alL  I  am  exceedingly  pleased  with  part  of  your  let* 
ter,  about  your  school  and  labours,  which  seem  to 
have  been  very  abundant,  and,  I  hope,  blessed  of  God. 

^^  Now  for  the  letters :  on  my  old  plan,  the  answer 
must  go— 1st.  As  to  accounts.  When  the  College  is 
finished,  I  intend  to  keep  the  detail  of  its  accounts 
myself,  as  they  will  not  be  complicated  for  some  years. 
The  other  accounts  I  have  given  the  detail  of  to  Mr. 
Medhurst ;  all  I  do  is,  to  sign  bills  drawn  on  the  Trea* 
surer. 

"  2ndly .  *  Psalters  and  Prayers.'  I  think  we  shall 
not  be  able  to  get  them  ready  before  Midsummer ; 
however,  we'll  try.  I  think  they  will  be  considerably 
below  i  dollar  per  copy,  but  I  do  not  know  for  certain. 

"  3rdly.  Yes.     To  the  best  of  my  information,  the 


1620.]  THB  REV.  DR.  MILNE.  71 

chief  part,  if  not  the  whole,  of  the  Serampore  Chinese 
version,  has  been  done  by  *  Lazart's  hands'— our's,  by 
our  own. 

"  4thly.  *  Translations  not  sent  up.'  No ;  though  I 
have  three  men  at  work  daily,  they  are  not  all  tran- 
scribed yet.  I  hope  in  spring  to  send  you  up  some 
part ;  the  Book  of  Job,  at  least.  We  are  now  printing 
your  Daniel,  and  forward  to  the  end.  Daniel,  Le 
says,  is  very  smooth  and  good  as  to  style. 

"  fithly.  *  Promised  to  advance  50  dollars  to  Afah's 
father,  when  he  should  go  on  board.'  You  have  acted 
most  prudently  in  this. 

"6thly.  *You  ought  to  have  something  for  the 
trouble  you  have  had  with  die  College.'  No,  Robert, 
I  should  feel  very  unhappy  at  the  idea.  I  have  been 
for  some  time  thinking  to  subscribe  a  small  sum,  but 
I  find  I  cannot  just  now.  If,  when  it  shall  be  com- 
pleted, my  services  be  so  fortunate  as  to  be  approved 
of  by  you,  and  the  other  founders  of  the  Institution, 
this  will  be  more  than  recompence  to  me. 

"  Query — Did  I  not,  last  season,  write  to  this  effect  ? 
*  I  think  the  Missionary  Society  will  be  more  willing 
to  consent  to  my  remaining  in  the  College,  if  the  In- 
stitution would  support  me  entirely,  which  would 
allow  more  time  for  the  duties  as  a  Missionary.  I 
conceive  that,  from  a  variety  of  circumstances,  about 
1200  dollars  per  year  would  be  necessary.'  I  wrote  to 
you  to  this  effect :  now,  Robert,  why  have  you  not 
answered  this  1  I  have  three  ways  of  accounting  for 
your  silence,  first,  that  the  proposal  did  not  meet 
your  approbation;  and  that,  as  courtiers  do,  you 
thought  it  best  to  answer  by  total  silence.  But  then 
this  is  so  unlike  your  frank  and  honest  way  of  dealing 
wiA  me  that  I  cannot  give  place  to  it.  Therefore  I 
think,  secondly,  that  my  letter  has  failed  to  reach 


72  LETTERS  FROM  [1820. 

you ;  or,  thirdly,  that  your  answer  to  me  has  passed 
on  to  India.  However,  I  will  thank  you  to  give  your 
opinion  on  the  subject;  not  that  I  am  under  any 
anxiety,  or  in  any  difficulty  at  present  on  that  head, 
but  still  I  wish  to  know  your  sentiments.  To  *  adhere 
to  the  College  T  Yes,  so  I  do,  and  so  I  hope  I  will 
to  the  end.  You  are,  my  dear  Robert,  more  afraid  of 
my  leaving  Malacca  than  you  have  any  reason  for. 
You  will,  perhaps,  be  pleased  to  know  that  at  the  close 
of  1819,  I  wrote  down  in  my  private  journal  to  the 
following  effect :  *  From  many  considerations,  it  seems 
to  me  that  Malacca  is  the  proper  place  for  me.  I  have 
some  opportunities  every  week  of  teaching  the  heathen 
orally — ^have  two  periodical  works  under  my  direction, 
by  attending  to  which,  I  may  attain  to  a  considerable 
influence  over  public  opinion  in  China,  and  Europe, 
and  India,  for  the  i^rtherance  of  the  gospel.  My 
habits  are  sedentary — ^my  plans  of  writing  in  Chinese 
are  extensive,  and  I  require  a  retired  situation.  The 
College  seems  to  promise  such  a  sphere  of  usefulness 
as  I  have  long  desired.  In  this  place  I  enjoy,  in  some 
degree,  the  confidence  and  respect  of  the  English, 
Dutch,  Chinese,  and  Malays.  My  Chinese  writings 
may  be  helpful  to  my  brother  missionary.*  Such  were 
my  reflections  on  the  1st  of  January,  1819. 

"  Ever  your's, 

«  W.  Milne." 

FROM  THE  SAME. 

«  Dear  Robert,  "  Nov.  3rd,  1820. 

"  I  have  just  received,  vik  Pinang.  1st.  The  lac- 
quered box,  containing  the  College  seal.  2nd.  living- 
stone's  letter  for  the  Gleaner.  3rd.  Your  own  letter 
on  the  state  of  the  poor  among  the  heathen.  4th. 
I  think  by   B.'s  letter  of  to-day,  that  they  really 


THE  REV.  Da.  MILNE.  73 

,(tiiough  not  said  in  so  many  words)  disapprove  of 
M.'s  rash  step.  Yet  I  know  not — -they  have  said 
nothing,  and  1  am  resolved  to  ahide  by  the  last  general 
letter  to  them,  of  which  you  have  a  copy.  5th.  The 
honourahleW.  E.  Phillips,  Governor  of  Pinang,  wrote 
roe  to-day,  and  subscribes  fifty  dollars  to  the  College. 
6th.  Poor  Fleming  has,  within  these  two  days  past, 
manifested  some  symptoms  of  a  partial  derangement! 
7th.  There  are  two  Chinese  who  have  come  for  private 
instruction  for  some  time,  I  think  they  are  almost  per- 
suaded to  he  Christians ;  one  of  them  is  Ahung,  who 
went  with  me  as  printer  to  Java ;  the  other  is  a  Fo-keen 
man,  who  has  five  or  six  children  and  a  wife.  What 
shall  I  do  if  they  wish  to  submit  to  baptism,  while  their 
evidences  of  genuine  conversion  may  be  at  best  but 
probable  1  Give  me  your  whole  heart  on  this  subject. 
Do  you  think  that  a  father,  whose  whoIe[_family  might 
be  brought  under  the  gospel  by  his  baptism,  might 
be  received,  while  you  cannot  see  all  the  evidence  of 
Bound  conversion  desirable  about  him  i  Should  Afah 
continue  steady  in  his  profession,  and  in  the  pur- 
suit of  knowledge,  and  in  his  desire  for  usefulness, 
for  a  year  or  two  longer,  would  it  be  advisable  to  or- 
dain him  before  his  return  to  China,  that  he  might 
be  qualified  to  administer  Christian  ordinances  in  case 
of  your  death,  or  in  case  of  any  converts  being  ob- 
led  who  could  not  come  to  you  for  baptism  1  He 
ks  of  returning  next  summer,  but  I  hope  he  may 
be  persuaded  to  remain  a  little  longer.  Do  take  this 
into  serious  consideration.  What  a  mercy  and  com- 
fort would  it  be  for  us  to  be  able  to  send  from  our 
little  College,  in  course  of  two  or  three  years  from  its 
commencement,  a  native  preacher,  tolerably  fitted  for 
the  blessed  work  of  preaching  the  gospel  1  Do,  dear 
rBobert,  assist  me  in  these  points  by  your  advice. 


74  LETTERS  FBOM  [1820. 

You  see  I  am  almost  left  alone.  I  can  expect  coun- 
sel from  none  in  these  parts  but  yourself.  I  wish 
what  we  do  to  be  as  it  were  a  joint  act.  Tell  me 
your  whole  mind  about  the  baptism  and  ordination. 
8th.  I  have  employed  at  the  College  expense^  a 
Malay  Teacher  for  five  dollars  per  month,  pro  tem-^ 
fore.  I  think  we  must  have  such  a  person  attached 
to  it  permanently.  T.  will  not,  I  think,  do  any  thing 
unless  we  consent  to  alter  our  plans,  which  we  cannot 
be  so  unwise  as  to  do.  Indeed,  I  should  object  to 
have  connexion  with  one  who  has  been  the  occasion 
of  so  much  trouble  to  us.         *         *         *         • 

'^  Another  lad  of  fifteen  years  of  age  has  been  offered 
to  the  College,  and  there  is  now  one  on  probation. 
Would  you  like  to  see  twenty  poor  lads  of  from 
ten  to  eighteen  years  old  supported  and  taught  by 
the  College  1  Will  this  be  perfectly  accordant  with 
the  object  1 

"  The  Directors  have  kindly  permitted  me  to  go  to 
South  Africa  or  Europe  for  my  health,  but  I  have 
written  them  that  ^  I  cannot  at  present,  except  in  a 
case  of  life  and  death,  leave  this  station.' 

^^  If  you  send  a  workman,  send  him  here.  We  are 
just  now  about  to  begin  the  Pra3rer8. 

"  Your's  ever, 

"  W.  MiLNB." 

"Postscript. 

CONTRIBUTIONS  TO. THE  COLLEGE. 

"  1st.  Walton's  Polyglot  Bible,  in  8  vols,  folio,  a 
most  valuable  and  scarce  work,  I  think,  worth  about 
£80.     By  Mr.  Hankey. 

^^  2nd.  Several  other  valuable  books  from  friends. 

^^  Srd.  A  donation  by  lieutenant-Colonel  Farquhar 
of  150  dollars.  Ditto  by  G.  W.  Mackenzie  of  50  dollars* 


1820.]  THB  REV.  DR.  MILNE.  75 

^'  4th.  Mr.  Ball's  donation  of  £50  worth  of  Euro- 
pean books. 

"  ThuSy  dear  Robert,  you  will  see  from  the  Society's 
attention  to  the  Printing  of  the  Gleaner — from  these 
contributions  to  the  College — and  from  Huttmann's 
seasonable  arrival — that  we  have  yet  some  encourage- 
ment in  going  forward.  The  sale  of  the  whole  Gleaner 
in  England  down  to  last  December,  left  only  about 
one  pound  sterling  in  our  favour  after  clearing  duties, 
80  that  from  Europe  we  have  not  much  to  expect ; 
I,  however,  received  67  rupees  from  Batavia  the  other 
day,  for  the  sale  of  some — a  place  where  I  expected 
scarcely  any  would  be  sold.  Whole  sets  are,  I  find, 
now  and  then  called  for :  these  will,  in  time,  go  a  good 
way  to  clear  the  debt  now  lying  on  the  work.  The 
papers  on  Chinese  Medicine  will,  1  am  quite  sure, 
increase  the  number  of  our  readers.  But  what  a 
wretched  transcriber  you  have  got !  Do  not,  I  beg  of 
you,  trust  them  entirely  to  such  ;  for  these  papers  will, 
if  we  can  get  them  correct,  raise  the  character  of  the 
writer,  if  possible,  and  of  the  Gleaner  also.  They  are 
among  the  best,  the  very  best  we  have  yet  got.  I 
rather  think,  from  various  letters,  that  the  College  will 
become  a  favourite  with  a  considerable  portion  of  the 
public.  I  congratulate  you  on  dear  Mary's  return : 
the  Lord  give  her  health  and  strength.  I  beg  my 
kindest  regards  to  her  and  to  the  dear  children.  Mrs. 
Macalister  dined  with  Mrs.  M.  on  board,  and  has 
given  me  the  most  pleasing  accounts  both  of  Mary 
and  the  children.  But  was  it  not  bad  policy  to  bring 
them  out  so  soon)  Give  me  some  news  about  them. 
I  think  I  see  you  with  them  hanging  about  you  at 
table,  as  my  little  ones  used  to  do.  We  shall  soon,  I 
trust,  be  able  to  set  to  work  with  your  Lectures.  That 


76  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1820. 

you  may  do  good  to  the  souls  as  well  as  to  the  bodies 
of  them,  is  the  prayer  of         "  Youths  ever, 

Although  the  great  objects  which  engaged  Dr. 
Morrison's  attention  for  many  years,  left  him  no 
leisure  for  scientific  pursuits,  or  the  cultivation  of 
general  literature,  himself — still,  they  did  not  lessen 
his  sense  of  their  importance,  as  may  be  inferred  from 
the  prominence  which  they  hold  in  his  general  plan 
of  the  College,  and  from  the  readiness  with  which  he 
aided  others  in  the  prosecution  of  knowledge,  as  well 
as  the  efficient  support  which  he  afforded,  not  only  to 
the  Gleaner,  but  several  other  periodical  publica- 
tions all  through  life ;  even  private  applications  like 
the  following,  ever  received  the  utmost  attention  he 
could  give  them. 

FROM  MR.  LODDIGES  TO  DR.  MORRISON. 
"  Rev.  Sir,  "  Hackney,  near  London,  Jan.  12th,  1820. 

"We  hope  you  will  excuse  the  liberty  we  have 
taken,  in  addressing  ourselves  to  you,  to  whom  we 
must  be  entire  strangers. 

'  "Our  profession  has  long  been  to  collect  plants 
from  every  possible  part  of  the  world.  These  we  pro- 
pagate and  again  disperse  where  they  may  be  wanted ; 
on  this  account  we  are  anxiously  desirous  of  obtaining 
correspondents  in  as  many  places  as  possible,  particu- 
larly in  that  most  productive  country  in  which  you 
are  exercising  your  valuable  labours.  We  could  not 
think  of  any  more  eligible  person,  to  whom  to  apply. 
As  the  striking  and  beautif^il  works  of  the  Almighty 
Creator,  in  the  vegetable  kingdom,  must  often  have 
engaged  your  attention,  and  possibly  you  may  have 


1820.]  FROM  MIL  LODDIOES.  77 

been  led^  by  way  of  an  innocent  and  delightful  recrea- 
tion^ to  the  examining  and  culture  of  them,  as  has  our 
excellent  friend.  Dr.  Carey  of  Serampore,  with  whom 
we  are  in  regular  correspondence,  and  from  whom  we 
have  received  many  interesting  plants. 

"  We  should  be  much  obliged  to  you,  if  you  would 
have  the  goodness  to  collect  for  us,  fresh  ripe  seeds, 
or  nuts,  of  the  different  kinds  of  palms,  twenty  or 
thirtjr  nuts  of  each  kind,  also  any  of  the  native  or 
wild  trees  and  shrubs.  As  soon  as  they  are  gathered, 
they  should  be  mixed  with  about  three  or  four  times 
their  bulk  of  moist  common  earth,  and  the  whole 
rammed  down  into  a  close  cask  or  box.  When  this  is 
quite  fuU,  it  should  be  headed  tight,  and  shipped  as 
soon  as  possible  for  London,  directed  to 

"  C.  LODDIOES  AND  SoNS, 

"  Hackney,  near  London. 

*^  To  be  kept  in  a  cool  airy  place,  not  in  the  hold. 

"  In  return  for  the  trouble  we  are  thus  giving  you, 
we  are  most  ready  to  send  you  any  thing  in  our  power 
from  this  country,  either  seeds,  plants,  or  whatever  we 
can  procure,  from  time  to  time,  that  may  be  desirable 
to  you.  We  beg  to  say,  that  it  is  only  in  the  view  of 
midcing  you  full  compensation,  that  we  would  think 
of  applying  to  you,  as  in  this  way  we  doubt  not  that 
the  correspondence  might  be  conducted  on  principles 
mutually  advantageous. 

"  Praying  that  the  Divine  blessing  may  constantly 
attend  you,  in  your  most  important  work,  we  remain, 

"  Rev.  Sir, 
"  Your  most  humble  Servants, 

"  C.  LODDIGES  AND  SoNS." 

"  p.  S.  Should  it  be  wholly  inconvenient  for  you 
to  comply  with  our  proposal,  it  would  greatly  oblige 


78  CORRB8FONDENCB.  [1820. 

US  if  you  would  give  our  letter  to  any  person,  with 
whom  you  may  he  acquainted  in  your  neighhoui^ 
hood,  who  might  feel  inclined  to  attend  to  its  con- 
tents." 

The  following  letters  relative  to  the  same  suhject, 
published  in  the  Gleaner,  are  illustrative  of  the  pre- 
ceding remarks. 

TO  THB  REV.  R.  MORRISON. 
"  My  Dear  Sir,  "  Macao,  Feb.  12th,  1819. 

"  A  few  days  ago,  I  sent  to  Canton  a  paper  which 
I  intend  to  lay  before  the  Horticultural  Society  of 
London,  on  the  subject  of  Chinese  Botany.  The 
objects  which  I  had  chiefly  in  view  were  to  explain 
the  causes  which  have  hitherto  retarded  the  introduc- 
tion of  Chinese  plants  into  Europe,  and  to  point  out 
a  plan  which  I  conceived  might  be  more  successful 
ill  future. 

^^  I  have  since  received  the  general  plan  of  an  In- 
stitution, now  forming  at  Malacca,  under  the  superin* 
tendence  of  our  friend,  in  which  I  am  delighted  to 
see  that  it  is  intended  that  European  literature  and 
science  will  be  made  accessible  to  the  natives  of 
China;  and  as  a  Botanical  Garden  is  included  in  the 
plan,  I  cannot  but  suppose  that  Botany  is  one  of  the 
sciences  intended  to  be  taught  at  the  Anglo-Chi- 
nese College ;  that  translations  of  Chinese  Botanical 
works  will  in  due  time  follow;  and  that,  in  all 
human  probability,  Europeans  will  be  indebted  to  the 
judicious  and  spirited  exertions  of  the  senior  member 
of  the  Ultra-Ganges  Mission,  for  full  information  re- 
specting the  vegetable  productions  of  China. 

"  The  missionaries  of  the  church  of  Rome,  who  have 
been  able  to  penetrate  into  some  places,  have  some- 


1820«]  FROM  J.  UYINQSTONB,  ESQ.  79 

times  supplied  notices  on  Botany.  From  tiiese,  Euro- 
peims  have  formed  a  very  high  estimate  of  the  Bota- 
nical riches  of  China,  and  a  corresponding  desire  has 
been  pretty  generally  excited  to  have  them  added  to 
the  stores  of  the  western  world. 

**  Kempfer  and  Thunberg  have  given  us  respectable 
works  on  the  Botany  of  Japan.  Louraro  has  written 
pretty,  fiilly  on  the  vegetable  productions  of  Cochin- 
China.  He  has  also  taken  notice  of  some  of  the  plants 
which  are  to  be  found  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Macao 
and  Canton:  and  Osbeck  did  wonders  during  the 
short  time  he  remained  at  Canton,  in  describing  tiie 
plants  which  he  saw  there.  With  these  comparatively 
unimportant  exceptions,  the  Botany  of  the  very  ex- 
tensive and  highly  interesting  regions,  to  which  the 
Protestant  Ultras-Ganges  Mission  proposes  to  extend 
its  beneficent  labours,  is  yet  unexplored. 

^^  To  you,  it  is  not  necessary  to  dwell  on  the  causes 
which  have  so  long  retarded  the  advancement  of  our 
Botanical  knowledge,  since  they  are  the  same  which 
have  hitherto  prevented  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation 
from  being  heard  amongst  the  unhappy  natives  of 
China.  At  this  moment,  no  hopes  can  be  entertained 
that  the  severe  restrictions  which  the  peculiar  jealousy 
of  the  Chinese  Government  has  interposed  against  the 
foreign  traveller  (whatever  his  object  may  be)  will  be 
removed.  So,  to  those  who  do  not  think  that  the  end 
justifies  the  means,  and  who  therefore  scorn  to  make 
any  clandestine  attempt,  no  research  can  be  extended 
beyond  the  neighbourhood  of  Canton.  All  our  ex- 
pectations of  being  able  to  gratify  the  lovers  of  Horti- 
culture and  Botany,  must  greatly  depend  on  the  mea- 
sures which  you  may  think  proper  to  adopt  at  the 
Anglo-Chinese  College. 


80  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1820. 

"  I  have  proposed,  that  a  properly  qualified  gardener 
shall  be  sent  by  the  Horticultural  Society  to  China, 
with  the  means  of  forming  a  suitable  establishment 
here,  where  he  may  collect  plants  by  means  of  native 
assistants,  and  which  may,  from  time  to  time,  be  trans- 
ported to  England. 

^^  Could  these  assistants  be  instructed  at  Malacca  in 
the  principles  of  European  Botany,  and  be  supplied 
with  some  elementary  books  in  their  own  language, 
their  usefulness  might  be  wonderfully  extended. 

"  To  impart  to  willing  Chinese,  European  literature 
and  science,  is  a  noble  conception.  Should  you  suc- 
ceed, it  can  scarcely  be  doubted,  that  the  more  noble 
and  peculiar  object  of  your  Mission  will  soon  after- 
wards be  fully  accomplished.  I  delight  to  contem- 
plate the  difi\ision  of  general  knowledge  from  the 
Malay  Peninsula,  over  the  wide  and  extended  Chinese 
empire.  I  think  I  see  Botany  take  the  lead  of  the 
heavenly  train,  whilst  our  pure  theology,  with  a  slower 
but  infinitely  more  majestic  march,  soon  afterwards 
spreads  itself  over  the  land. 

"  Surely  nothing  can  be  wanting  to  secure  a  con- 
sunmiation  so  desirable,  and  so  devoutly  desired  by 
most,  but  union  of  effort :  I  would  therefore  call  on 
all  the  admirers  of  literature — all  the  lovers  of  science 
— all  the  friends  of  the  human  race — ^who  view,  with 
becoming  reverence,  the  stupendous  scheme  of  human 
redemption,  to  aid,  by  every  means  in  their  power,  the 
furtherance  of  your  noble  plans,  which  I  know  have 
been  formed  on  the  most  exalted  philanthropic  prin- 
ciples, and  cannot  but  be  productive  of  the  greatest 
good. 

^^  I  have  only  to  add  on  the  present  occasion,  that 
my  best,  though  humble  assistance,  is  entirely  at  your 


1820.]  ON  CHINESE   BOTANY.  81 

command^  and  that  you  have  my  hest  wishes  and 
most  fervent  prayers  for  the  complete  success  of  your 
great  design.     I  remain,  with  the  greatest  regard, 
"  My  dear  Sir, 

"  Your's  very  sincerely, 

"John  Livingstone." 


TO  JOHN  LrVINGSTONE,  ESQ. 
"  My   Deab   Sir,         "  Canton,  China,  Feb.  16,  1819. 

"  I  have  read  with  much  interest  and  satisfaction, 
youT  very  lucid  statement*  of  the  causes  which  have 
hitherto  impeded  the  successful  cultivation  of  Chinese 
Botany,  and  the  transmission  of  Chinese  plants  to 
Europe :  at  the  same  time  that  you  point  out  a  prac- 
ticahle  mode  of  prosecuting  the  subject  more  success- 
fully in  future. 

"  To  obviate  the  hindrance  which  arises  from  all 
Europeans  being  prohibited  from  travelling  in  China, 
you  express  an  opinion,  *  That  the  Chinese  themselves 
are  very  capable  of  being  suflGiciently  instructed  in  the 
principles  of  Botany,  for  all  the  material  purposes  of 
assistants.*  In  this  opinion  I  most  perfectly  coincide : 
and  to  qualify  natives  for  the  purpose  of  Botanical 
assistants,  is  within  the  plan  of  the  Anglo-Chinese 
College,  though  it  may  be  some  years  before  an  effi- 
cient attention  can  be  given  to  this  interesting  branch. 

**  I  shall  forthwith  supply  the  College  with  Chinese 
books  which  treat  of  plants.  I  will  also  request  the 
superintendent  of  the  infant  College,  to  select  a  native 
Chinese  to  receive,  as  soon  as  there  is  any  one  able  to 

*  Contained  in  your  letter  to  the  Horticultural   Society  of 
London. 

Vol.  II.  G 


82  CORRESPOMDENCB.  [1820. 

instruct  him  in  Botany,  the  requisite  infonnation  to 
fit  him  for  the  purpose  of  a  Botanical  assistant  in 
China.  The  carrying  this  commencement  to  its  ulti- 
mate object,  will  depend  on  the  co-operation  of  Chris- 
tian philosophers  and  philanthropists  in  Europe,  and 
other  parts  of  the  world. 

"The  works  of  the  Almighty  are  vast,  and  are 
studied  by  all  those  who  fear  him.  Although  the 
study  of  his  stupendous  work — ^human  redemption — 
be  the  immediate  object  of  Christian  missionaries;  the 
Work  of  Creation,  which  is  celebrated  even  by  those 
blessed  spirits  who  enjoy  the  beatific  vision  in  heaven,* 
forms  also  a  part  of  their  study.  It  is  in  this  view  of 
the  case,  that  the  Anglo-Chinese  College,  and  the 
Ultra-Ganges  Missions,  feel  themselves  fully  justified 
in  bestowing  all  the  attention  to  literature  and  science 
which  their  immediate  pursuits,  and  their  health  and 
pecuniary  means,  will  admit  of. 

"  In  addition  to  the  steps  which  I  have  above  stated, 
and  which  I  will  endeavour  to  undertake  immediately, 
I  would  beg  to  suggest  a  measure  to  you,  which  you 
do  not  advert  to,  and  which,  if  you  approve  of  it, 
you  may  notice  to  the  Horticultural  Society. 

"  It  is,  to  send  a  young  man  of  moral  habits,  and 
possessed  of  Botanical  knowledge,  to  the  Anglo- 
Chinese  College,  to  study  there  the  Chinese  lan- 
guage, and  to  pay  that  attention  to  the  translation  of 
scientific  Botanical  books  into  Chinese,  which  the 
avocations  of  missionaries  leave  no  time  for. 

"  Although  not  myself  a  Botanist,  I  am  a  devoted 
friend  to  it,  and  every  scientific  pursuit ;  and  shall  at 
all  times  be  happy  to  lend  that  assistance  which  my 

♦  Kev.  iv.  11. 


1820.]  FROM  PR.  WORCESTER.  83 

residence  in  China,  and  my  knowledge  of  the  lan- 
guage, may  enahle  me  to  do ;  lamenting  only  that  so 
little  comes  within  the  sphere  of  my  acquirements, 
and  the  power  of  my  means. 
"  I  remain,  dear  Sir, 

"  Your's  very  sincerely, 

"  R.  Morrison." 

From  the  period  of  Dr.  Morrison's  visit  to  America, 
on  his  way  to  China,  till  his  death,  he  kept  up  a  con- 
stant correspondence  with  many  of  the  leading  charac- 
ters in  the  churches  of  that  country,  hy  whom  his 
labours  and  person  were  held  in  the  highest  estima- 
tion. During  this  year  he  received  a  communication 
from  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign 
Missions, "  That  he  was  unanimously  elected,  by  ballot, 
to  be  a  Corresponding  Member  of  the  Board."  This 
communication  was  accompanied  by  the  following 
official  and  private  letters  from  the  Rev.  Dr.  Wor- 
cester:— 

'' Salem,  Massachusetts,  U.S.A.  March,  1820. 

"  Rev.  a3«d  Dear  Sir, 
"  In  communicating  to  you  the  document  on  the 
next  pc^e,  I  fulfil  an  oflGicial  duty  in  which  I  have 
great  satisfaction.  The  pleasure  will  be  still  greater, 
not  to  me  only,  but  to  all  the  members  of  the  Board 
in  whose  behalf  the  communication  is  made,  when  we 
are  assured  that  you  do  not  decline  the  appointment 
therein  certified,  and  are  authorized  permanently  to 
enrol  your  name  among  our  respected  Corresponding 
Associates.  With  great  and  affectionate  respect, 
**  Rev.  and  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  brother  in  the  Gospel, 
"S.  Worcester,  Cor.  Sec.  A.B.C.RM." 

G  2 


84  CORRESFONDENCS.  [1820. 


FROM  THE  SAME. 
"  Rev.  Sir,  **  Salem,  Mass.,  U.S.A.  March,  1820. 

"  Though  my  name  is  unknown  to  you,  I  bless  the 
God  of  all  grace  that  your's  has  long  been  dear  to  me, 
and  to  many  on  this  side  of  our  common  globe.  In 
his  sovereigm  wisdom  he  has  assigned  to  you  a  conspi- 
cuous situation,  and  a  great  work.  His  hand  has 
guided,  and  upheld,  and  protected  you,  because  he 
has  promised  to  give  his  Son  the  mighty  empire  of 
China  for  a  possession  ;  and  it  is  his  pleasure  that  the 
way  should  be  prepared,  by  the  communication,  to  its 
unknown  millions,  of  his  lively  oracles.  To  be  the 
instrument  for  such  a  purpose  is  indeed  a  high  dis- 
tinction ;  and  I  doubt  not,  beloved  Sir,  that  many  a 
time  and  often,  while  you  have  been  wondering  why 
it  should  be  so,  the  sentiment  has  risen  spontaneously 
from  the  bottom  of  your  heart,  *  I  thank  Christ  Jesus 
my  Lord,  who  hath  counted  me  worthy.'  And  well 
you  may  thank  him ;  and  well  may  unnumbered 
hearts  and  tongues,  on  earth  and  in  heaven,  unite  with 
you  in  the  grateful  acknowledgment.  The  genera- 
tions to  come  will  thank  him,  and  the  praise  will  not 
cease  in  eternity. 

"  Persuaded,  however,  that  even  China  does  not  fill 
your  heart,  and  that  the  grace  of  the  same  mighty 
Redeemer,  as  displayed  in  this  hemisphere,  and  the 
operations,  though  comparatively  limited,  which  are 
here  going  forward  under  his  direction,  and  for  the 
advancement  of  his  salvation  and  kingdom,  will  not 
be  uninteresting  to  you — I  take  leave  to  send  along 
with  this  a  small  package,  comprising  a  Gazetteer  of 
the  United  States,  Missionary  Reports,  Magazines,  &c., 
which  I  hope  will  not  be  unacceptable  to  you.  From 
these  publications  you  will  learn  more  than  I  could  tell 


1820;]  FROM  DR.  WORCESTER.  85 

yon,  of  what  we  are,  and  what  we  are  doing  in  this 
coiintTj.  Diminutive  as  we  are,  we  are  stretching  out 
our  hands  to  the  east  and  to  the  west — to  India  on  the 
one  hand,  and  to  the  Sandwich  Islands  on  the  other  ; 
and  we  almost  imi^ne  that  ere  long  we  shall  encom- 
pass the  globe,  and  join  hands  with  you  in  China,  as 
already  we  feel  that  our  hearts  are  joined  with  your's. 

**  Possibly,  dear  Sir,  it  may,  some  time,  be  in  your 
power  to  show  kindness  to  our  brethren  whom  we 
have  committed,  under  Providence,  to  the  winds  and 
waves  for  conveyance  to  the  Sandwich  Islands.  I 
beg  to  commend  them  to  your  Christian  regard,  as 
brethren  of  excellent  spirit,  and  greatly  beloved  in  the 
Lord.  Any  communication  which  you  shall  find  it 
convenient  to  make  them — any  favour  which  you  can 
show  them — will  gladden  their  hearts,  and  confer  an 
obl^ation  on  many. 

**  Amid  the  multiplicity  and  urgency  of  your  en- 
gagements and  avocations,  you  can  have  little  leisure 
to  bestow  on  new  and  far  distant  correspondents ;  but 
should  you,  after  receiving  this,  ever  happen  to  con- 
nect me  in  your  thoughts  with  the  cause  which  is 
dearest  to  your  heart — and  I  would  hope  also  to  mine 
— I  can  assure  you  that  a  sentence  with  your  signature 
will  be  very  precious  to  me ;  and  happy  shall  I  be, 
should  it  ever  be  in  my  power  to  promote  in  any  way, 
or  in  the  least  degree,  either  your  work  or  your  joy. 
It  is  delightful  to  feel  that,  though  at  opposite  points 
of  the  earth,  and  personally  unacquainted,  we  may 
every  day  meet  before  the  Lamb,  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne— the  blessed  centre  of  union  to  all  on  earth  and 
all  in  heaven  who  dwell  in  God — and  pray  for  one 
another,  for  the  church  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  and 
for  the  nations  and  people  in  the  shadow.     Shall  we 


86  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1820. 

not  so  meet  ?     With  sincere  gratitude,  and  love,  and 
respect,  "  I  am,  Rev.  and  Dear  Sir, 

"  Your  brother  in  the  gospel, 

"  S.  Worcester. 
"  Rev.  Robert  Morrison,  D.D.^ 

FROM  DR.  PROUDFIT. 

"  My  Dear  Brother,       *'  New  York,  May  15, 1820. 

"  Although  we  have  had  never  the  pleasure  of  seeing 
each  other  in  the  flesh,  yet  I  often  read  of  you,  and, 
I  trust,  pray  for  your  protection  and  prosperity  in  the 
important  cause  in  which  you  are  employed.  I  take 
the  liberty  of  sending  you  two  volumes  of  sermons, 
chiefly  because  several  of  them  have  been  preached 
before  societies  which  contemplate  the  diffusion  of  the 
gospel  among  the  benighted  nations  of  the  earth. 
Accept  of  them  as  a  tribute  of  unfeigned  respect  from 
one  who  never  expects  to  see  you  in  the  present  world, 
but  often  anticipates  the  pleasure  of  spending  an  eter- 
nity in  the  company  of  the  redeemed  from  every  cli- 
mate and  kindred.  It  will  afford  me  much  pleasure 
to  receive  a  letter  from  you,  which  you  may  forward 
to  the  care  of  Divie  Bethune,  Esq.,  New  York, 

"  I  take  the  liberty  of  introducing  to  your  Christian 
confidence  and  affection,  Mr.  Olyphant,  an  elder  of 
Dr.  Mason's,  who  can  give  you  full  information  re- 
specting the  American  churches.  Let  us  pray  for 
each  other ;  and  consider  me  as  your  brother  in  the 
faith  and  fellowship  of  the  ever  living,  ever  loving, 
Jesus.  "Alexander  PRouDFrr. 

"  To  the  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison.*' 

With  Mr.  Olyphant,  the  gentleman  above  intro- 
duced. Dr.  Morrison  formed  a  lasting  fnendship  and 


1620.3  FROM  D.  W.  C.  OLYPHANT,  ESQ.  87 

correspondence.  Mr.  O.'s  commercial  establishment 
in  Canton  has  ever  been  conducted  on  Christian  prin- 
ciples, having  the  distinguished  honour  of  being  the 
only  one  which  has  admitted  of  no  transactions  in 
that  prohibited  *drug**  so  detrimental  to  the  lives 
and  morals  of  the  population  of  China.  Mr.  Olyphant 
has  also  set  a  noble  example  of  what  may  be  effected 
by  a  Christian  merchant,  in  conveying  the  "  pearl  of 
great  price"  to  those  whose  sole  object  is  to  "  buy  and 
sell,  and  get  gain."  His  ships  first  conveyed  the 
American  Missionaries  to  China,  free  of  expense ;  and 
to  his  influence  and  liberality  they  owe  their  continu- 
ance in  Canton  to  the  present  time.  Upon  Mr.  O.'s 
first  arrival  in  China,  he  addressed  the  following  letter 
to  Dr.  Morrison,  who  was  then  at  Macao  : — 

FROM  D.  W.  C.  OLYPHANT,  ESQ. 
"  Rev.  Sir,  "Canton,  Oct.  15,  1820. 

"  It  is  three  weeks  since  I  landed  here  from  New 
York,  bringing  with  me  the  packages  for  you,  which 
the  bearer  of  this  will  hand  you.  I  hoped  to  have 
delivered  them  to  you  myself,  with  the  enclosed,  at 
Canton ;  but  I  learn  it  is  not  your  intention  to  reside 
here.  My  objects  are  commercial,  succeeding  Mr. 
Scott  in  the  situation  which  he  held  here  ;  but  I  trust 
I  know  something  of  the  love  of  God  in  Christ,  and 
am  not  insensible  to  the  responsibility  which  rests 
upon  the  professors  of  His  name,  to  extend  the  know- 
ledge of  it.  If  you  come  to  Canton,  I  hope  to  have 
the  pleasure  of  seeing  you  ;  if  that  is  not  your  pur- 
pose, I  hope  you  will  make  use  of  me  if  I  can  in  any 
way  serve  you  in  thp.  blessed  cause  for  which  you 
have  laboured  her© 

♦  Opium. 


88  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1820. 

"  May  you  ere  long  see  of  the  fruit  of  your  doings 
for  this  henighted  people ;  and  that  the  kingdom  of 
our  dear  Redeemer  may  soon  come  to  them,  will,  I 
humhly  trust,  prove  to  be  the  heartfelt  desire  of 

"  Your  obedient  Servant, 

"  D.  W.  C.  Olyphant, 

"  French  Factory,  Na  1. 

"  Dr.  Morrison,  Macao." 


FROM  THE  REV.  W.  MILNE. 


s 


**  Clay  bang,  near  Malacca, 
"March20,1820. 

"  Dear  Robert, 
"  I  came  out  with  the  children  to  visit  this  "  Bo- 
chim**  this  morning,  being  the  anniversary  of  my  be- 
loved Rachel's  death.  Yes,  in  the  room  where  I  now 
sit,  about  twelve  months  and  three  hours  ago,  I  heard 
the  "silver  cord"  snapt  asunder — "the  heart-strings 
break" — ^with  a  sound  similar  to  that  which  the  break- 
ing of  a  watch-spring  occasions,  when  the  chain  sud- 
denly unfurls  itself.  I  will  not  be  positive  about 
being  right  in  the  interpretation  of  the  above  passage 
of  Scripture,  but  it  came  very  vividly  to  my  mind,  and 
has  often  done  so  ei^nce.  To  be  a  few  moments  or 
hours  away  from  bustle  is  a  great  privilege ;  but  an 
evil  heart  follows  me  every  where.  No  train  of  out- 
ward circumstances,  of  whatever  nature,  can  of  them- 
selves sanctify  our  thoughts :  all  this  must  come  from 
above.  It  is,  however,  an  unspeakable  blessing  to  be 
able  to  reflect  with  delight  on  the  character  and  hopes 
of  departed  friends.  This  blessing  I  enjoy ;  though, 
when  I  think  of  my  own  exceeding  great  errors  and 
failings  in  conjugal  and  relative  life,  I  feel  shame,  and 
self-loathing,  and  humiliation.  Ah  !  Robert,  "  while 
I  was  ■  busy  here  and  there,  she  was  gone ;"  but  no 
regret  can  bring  the  dead  back,  and  though,  while  a 


1820.]  FROM  REV.  MR.  MILKE.  89 

dear  friend  lives,  we  may  try  to  do  our  duty  to  the 
utmost,  and  feel  little  self-reproach,  yet,  when  death 
removes  that  friend  for  ever  beyond  the  reach  of  our 
intercourse,  we  feel  as  if  we  could  not  forgive  our- 
selves, though  perhaps  conscience  may  not  bring  heavy 

charges,  relative  to  the  great  essentials  of  duty. 

»  #  #  *  • 

"You  have  mentioned,  I  think  three  times,  an 
offer  made  by  Dr.  Cracknell  to  procure  a  literary  de- 
gree for  any  person*  connected  with  the  College.  As 
you  seem  to  refer  chiefly  to  me,  I  state  in  reply,  that 
what  you  wrote  to  him  on  that  subject  could  not  be 
improved.  There  is  only  one  way  in  which  I  should 
feel  perfectly  easy  to  accept  of  such  an  honour,  were 
it  offered  to  me,  namely,  for  assiduous  application  to 
Chinese  studies ;  nor  should  I  think  any  such  honours 
worth  accepting  for  mere  distinction's  sake.  If  it  were 
likely  to  promote  my  object,  or  to  be  of  any  service  to 
the  College,  I  should  not  refuse  it,  if  it  came  with 
credit.  •  #  #  #  # 

"  The  diploma,  with  the  tin  box  and  University  seal, 
I  have  looked  at,  and  showed  it  to  the  others,  as  a 
curiosity  which  few  are  favoured  with  a  sight  of.  I 
shall  carefully  send  it  on  by  the  first  secure  hand. 
The  enclosed  letter  you  will  perceive  I  have  opened 
and  read. 

"  The  Lord  bless  you,  dear  Robert ;  and  your's, 

"  W.  Milne." 

The  following  letter  from  a  gentleman  in  the  Ben- 
gal Civil  Service  is  inserted,  as  the  writer  subsequently 
visited  Malacca  and  became  one  of  the  Vice  Presi- 

♦  *•  In  1820  the  University  of  Glasgow,  having  heard  of  the  pious 
kbours  of  Mr.  Milne,  on  proper  testimonials  being  given  as  to  his 
character  and  theological  attainments,  conferred  on  him  the  degree 
of  Doctor  in  Divinity.*' — Morrison's  Life  of  Dr.  Milne. 


90  CORR£SPOND£MCS.  [1820. 

dents  of  the  Anglo-Chinese  College,  as  well  as  a  warm 
friend  to  its  objects. 

FROM  C.  R.  CROMMELIN,  ESQ. 
"  My  Dear  Sir,  "  Canton,  October  4th,  1820. 

"  You  will  have  been  rather  surprised  to  hear  of 
my  determination,  please  God,  to  depart  at  so  early 
a  period  from  this  country ;  but  as  I  felt  my  health, 
under  God's  goodness  to  me,  to  be  as  fully  restored 
as  I  should  have  hoped  for  at  my  time  of  life,  and  as 
inaction  is  to  me  the  worst  of  punishments,  I  per- 
mitted  myself  to  follow,  what,  from  the  feelings  of  my 
mind,  appeared  to  me  the  leading  of  Providence,  and 
I  trust  in  a  few  hours  to  be  on  my  way  to  Whampo. 

"  From  you  I  will  not  conceal  that  I  have  every 
reason  to  expect  to  rise,  soon  after  I  may  arrive,  if  in 
mercy  I  am  preserved,  in  Calcutta,  to  the  high  station 
I  once  before  looked  forward  to.  Pray  for  me,  my 
dear  Sir,  that  I  may  be  enabled,  in  probably  the  last 
but  most  momentous  scene  of  my  public  life,  to  do  my 
duty  to  my  God,  my  fellow-creatures,  and  myself;  an 
Aye  or  a  No  may  influence  the  welfare  of  thousands ; 
may  God  give  me  wisdom,  true  wisdom  to  guide  me, 
his  faith  to  strengthen  me,  and  his  arm  to  support  and 
protect  me ;  I  shall  want  all,  for  weak  is  the  aid  of 
man  alone. 

"My  unexpected  departure  will  leave  my  book 
and  picture  objects  unattained ;  the  latter,  Mr.  Reeves 
has  kindly  undertaken  to  complete  for  me ;  the  for- 
mer, I  must  depend  on  your  friendly  aid  to  carry  into 
effect.  My  wish  still  is  to  procure  a  selection  of  such 
books  as  may  be  esteemed  curious,  and  worthy  of  be- 
ing presented  to  the  Asiatic  Society  in  Calcutta ;  in- 
deed, the  situation  I  may  possibly  be  placed  in,  as  a 
member  of  that  institution,  will  add  to  the  wish  I 


p 


I 


FROM  C.  R.  CROMMELm,  ESQ.  91 

originally  entertained,  of  aiding  both  its  library  and 
museum  with  the  books  you  may  have  the  goodness 
to  purchase  for  me.  I  am  desirous  of  obtaining  a  few 
notices  relating  to  the  subjects  treated  of  in  them, 
and  you  will  much  oblige  me,  at  your  leisure,  by 
adding  this  trouble  to  your  attentions  to  me.  Every 
expense  attending  their  transmission,  as  well  as  the 
purchase  cost,  Mr.  Berry  lias  received  my  instructions 
to  reimburse  you ;  your  trouble  and  loss  of  time,  I 
must  remain  your  debtor  for,  but  not  an  ungrateful  one. 

"  If  I  can  in  any  way  prove  useful  to  the  interests, 
comfort,  or  convenience  of  your  family,  or  any  of  your 
friends,  during  my  residence  in  Bengal,  it  will  in 
truth  afford  me  pleasure  to  do  bo,  and  I  trust  you  will 
not  hesitate  to  apply  to  me.  God  bless  you  and  yours, 
my  dear  Sir  :  may  health  and  peace  of  mind  he  your 
portion.  Make  my  best  respects  acceptable  to  Mrs. 
Morrison,  and  give  my  love  to  your  dear  children. 
"  Your's  most  truly, 

"  C.  R.  Crommelik." 

The  following  letters  from  Europe  close  the  corre- 
spondence for  the  present  year. 

FROM  THE  REV.  ALEXANDER  ROSS. 
"My  Dear  Sib,  "Aherdeeii,November4th,  1829. 

'*  I  had  the  pleasure  of  duly  receiving  your  very 
kind  letter  of  the  Slst  of  October,  1818.  Accept,  Sir, 
of  my  most  grateful  acknowledgments  for  your  atten- 
tion in  sending  me  the  Chinese  books  you  were  so  good 
as  select  for  me.  They  have  proved  a  very  valuable 
acquisition,  and  without  them  I  should  have  been 
obliged  to  abandon  the  study  of  the  language.  I  have 
not  been  able  of  late  to  devote  so  much  time  to 
Chinese  as  I  could  have  wished.  For  two  sessions  I 
have  been  acting  as  Assistant  to  the  Professor  of  Greek, 


92  CORRESPOND  ENCB.  [1820. 

in  Marischal  College,  and  this  employment  has  neces- 
sarily occupied  a  considerable  share  of  my  attention. 
I  have,  however,  with  the  assistance  of  the  part  of  your 
Dictionary  already  published,  and  the  work  of  De 
Guignes,  read  carefully  a  considerable  portion  of  the 
Lun-yu  and  of  San-tsze-king,  of  which  there  is  a 
translation  in  your  Horae  Senicse.  I  feel  more  de- 
lighted with  the  study  the  farther  I  advance,  and  I  do 
not  yet  despair  of  being  able  to  make  some  little  pro. 
gress.  The  language  certainly  possesses  very  great 
claims  on  attention,  and,  I  doubt  not,  will  amply  repay 
the  time  and  labour  necessary  for  the  attainment  of  it. 
The  Anglo-Chinese  College  at  Malacca  promises  to 
be  productive  of  the  most  beneficial  results  in  enlarg- 
ing our  knowledge  of  China.  Mr.  Milne  was  good 
enough  to  send  my  father  a  copy  of  the  *  Statement,' 
which  both  he  and  I  read  with  the  most  lively  in- 
terest. An  institution  of  this  kind  will  form  an  8Bra 
in  the  history  of  our  intercourse  with  that  singular 
nation.  It  will,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  have  the  effect  of 
making  us  better  acquainted  with  the  literature  of 
China,  and,  what  is  of  infinitely  greater  importance, 
it  will  serve  to  promote  the  knowledge  of  the  blessed 
gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  amongst  its  numerous  inhabit- 
ants. My  father  and  I  shall  do  all  that  we  can  in 
collecting  subscriptions  for  so  excellent  an  institu- 
tion. 

"Mr.  Philip  has  left  this  for  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  where,  as  you  will  have  heard  long  i^o,  he  is 
to  act  as  Superintendent  of  the  Missions.  I  hope  the 
Lord  will  bless  his  labours.  His  whole  heart  seemed 
to  be  devoted  to  the  good  cause,  and  I  doubt  not  but 
that  he  will  be  found  well  qualified  for  the  important 
situation  to  which  Providence  has  called  him.  Our 
Bible  and  Missionary  Societies  in  this  place  are  pros- 


1820.]  FROM  REV.  ALEXANDER  ROSS.  93 

pering,  but  we  have  sustained  a  great  loss  by  being 
deprived  of  Mr.  Philip,  who  was,  unquestionably,  one 
of  our  best  speakers.  Great  things  are  doing  at  pre- 
sent for  the  cause  of  the  Redeemed*.  What  a  blessing 
it  is,  that  while  there  exists  such  a  delightful  spirit 
amongst  Christians  to  vie  with  one  another  in  their 
eagerness  to  promote  the  cause  of  religion  in  the 
world,  there  should  also  exist,  amongst  the  heathen, 
such  a  willingness  to  receive  the  *  engrafted  word, 
which  is  able  to  make  them  wise  unto  salvation.' 
While  travelling  in  Holland,  during  the  summer  of 
1817,  I  learned  an  interesting  fact  relating  to  the 
Jews,  which  I  have  no  doubt  will  give  you  pleasure. 
It  may  be  relied  on  as  most  authentic.  Some  gentle- 
man, in  the  passage  boat  between  Amsterdam  and 
Utrecht,  happened  to  meet  with  several  Jews.  The 
conversation  turned  upon  the  weather,  which  was  then 
very  unfavourable,  and  one  of  the  Jews  observed,  that 
it  was  a  punishment  upon  the  Christians  for  their 
disrespect  to  the  Messiah,  the  Saviour  of  the  world. 
*  And  what  do  you  care  about  the  Messiah  ? '  replied 
one  of  the  gentlemen,  ^  are  not  you  Jcavs  ? '  *  Sir,'  replied 
one  of  them,  *  we  believe  in  Christ  as  firmly  as  most 
Christians;  we  have  been  long  separated  from  the 
Synagogue,  and  meet  together  by  ourselves  to  pray 
and  to  read  the  New  Testament.  Our  number  is  very 
considerable  in  Amsterdam.'  ^  But  why,'  rejoined  he, 
Mo  you  not  come  forward,  and  join  some  Chris- 
tian community  1 '  *  Sir,'  replied  the  other, '  your  prac- 
tice and  your  profession  are  so  much  at  variance,  that 
we  are  better  by  ourselves.' 

"  I  take  the  liberty  of  sending  you  by  Mr.  Perry, 
(who  goes  to  China  as  Assistant  Surgeon  to  an  India- 
man),  *  Home's  Introduction  to  the  Critical  Study  of  the 
Bible,'  and  ^  Moral  Sketches,'  a  new  work  lately  pub- 


94  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1820. 

lished  by  Miss  Hannah  More ;  of  both  of  which  I  beg 
your  acceptance. 

"  CJould  you  spare  a  few  moments  from  your  im- 
portant studies,  I  should  esteem  it  a  very  great  favour 
to  hear  from  you.  Any  information  about  your  trans- 
lationsy  or  respecting  the  spread  of  the  gospel,  will  be 
peculiarly  interesting.  My  prayers  are  with  you,  and 
hoping  you  will  excuse  the  trouble  I  have  given  you, 

"  I  remain  your's, 

"  With  the  greatest  esteem, 

^^  Alexander  L.  Ross.*' 

from  sir  george  t.  staunton,  bart. 

''  Portland  Place,  Apnl  13th,  1820. 

"  Dear  Morrison, 
"I  have  just  had  the  pleasure  of  receiving  your 
letter  of  the  9th,  and  I  am  much  obliged  to  you  for 
the  two  accompanjdng  numbers  of  the  Gleaner, 
which  I  shall  read  with  interest.  The  next  arrival  from 
China  will,  I  hope,  bring  us  another  number  of  your 
Dictionary.  The  present  peaceful  state  of  our  relations 
with  the  Chinese  must  be  favourable  to  your  prose- 
cution of  your  great  work,  and  although  Chinese 
literature  certainly  excites  but  little  interest  in  this 
country,  most  people  are  sensible  of  the  value  and 
importance  of  the  formation  of  a  good  Dictionary, 
with  a  view  to  many  objects,  besides  such  as  are 
purely  literary.  The  nature  of  the  pursuits  which  I 
have  entered  into  since  I  have  been  at  home,  have 
drawn  me  entirely  from  my  Chinese  Books ;  but  the 
wish  of  some  of  my  friends,  and  the  good  disposition 
of  Mr.  Murray,  the  bookseller,  have  induced  me  to 
determine  on  publishing  a  small  collection  of  Trans- 
lations, that  has  lain  these  eight  years  in  my  desk 
unheeded.     They  will    form   only  a    small    octavo 


f 


I 


1820.]         FROM  SIR  GEORGE  T    STAUNTON,  DABT.  95 

volume,  so  that  whether  the  public  read  them  or  not, 
will  not  much  signify.  They  are  not  idle  in  this  re- 
spect in  France.  Mr.  Klaproth  sent  me,  lately,  a  most 
laborious  supplement,  in  folio,  to  M.  De  Guignes' 
Dictionary,  and  Abel  Rerausat  has  favoured  me 
with  a  copy  of  bis  Translation  of  a  Chinese  account 
of  Cambodia,  written  in  the  12th  century. 

"  I  do  not  think  the  latter  any  great  acquisition 
to  literature.  I  have  congratulated  my  good  friend 
Urmston  on  his  succession  to  the  Chiefship.  I  augur 
well  of  his  administration.  His  prudence,  and  concilia- 
tory manners,  and  his  judgment  in  employing  the 
talents  of  those  about  him,  each  in  his  proper  sphere, 
will,  I  hope,  secure  to  him  a  pleasant  and  peaceful 
reign.  Our  new  monarch  here,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  is 
not  so  fortunate.  You  will  see  the  newspapers  filled 
with  accounts  of  riots  and  conspiracies,  and  although 
the  vast  majority  of  the  nation,  I  am  satisfied,  is  sound 
and  loyat,  yet  it  is  painful  and  distressing  to  see  the 
extent  to  which  the  lower  orders  have  been  deluded 
and  demoralized. 

"  I  am  very  glad  to  hear  you  speak  favourably  of 
your  new  chaplain.  It  is  of  great  importance  that 
the  person  who  fills  such  an  office  should  be  worthy 
of  it.  It  would,  otherwise,  be  better  omitted ;  but  a 
sensible  and  truly  pious  man  will  have  always  much 
good  in  his  power.  I  am  willing  to  hope  that  reli- 
gious sentiments  are,  on  the  whole,  gaining  ground. 
On  visiting  the  cottages  on  a  small  purchase  I  lately 
made  in  Hampshire,  I  was  pleased  to  see  that  they 
were  all  furnished  with  religious  books,  and  had  none 
of  a  contrary  tendency. 

'*  I  am,  dear  Morrison, 

*•  Very  truly  your's, 

"George  Thomas  Staunton." 


96  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1820. 

FROM  THE  REV.  GEORGE  BURDER. 

"London,  April  17th,  1820. 

"  My  DEiR  Friend  and  Brother, 

"  I  feel  peculiar  satisfaction  in  sitting  down  to  write 
you  a  letter,  which,  I  trust,  will  be  delivered  to  you  by 
the  hands  of  Mrs.  Morrison,  from  whom  you  have 
been  so  long  separated.  I  rejoice  in  the  prospect  of 
your  being  together  again ;  and  may  your  God  long 
spare  you  together,  as  true  yoke-fellows  in  the  cause 
of  Christ,  and  in  the  education  of  your  dear  children. 

"  Your  last  letter  gives  us  most  abundant  cause  of 
joy  and  thankfulness.  The  Translation  of  the  Holy 
Book  of  God  into  the  language  of  hundreds  of  millions, 
now  living,  and  hereafter  to  live,  in  China  and  neigh- 
bouring countries,  is  now  finished !  That  Herculean 
task  is  at  length  completed!  To  him  alone,  who 
gave  the  power  to  effect  this  great  work,  and  who 
alone  can  render  it  effectual  for  its  intended  purpose — 
the  illumination  and  renovation  of  human  minds — to 
him  alone  be  the  glory,  now  and  for  evermore.  But, 
my  dear  friend,  we  ought  not,  we  will  not,  we  do  not, 
forget  the  laborious  agents  whom  he  has  been  pleased 
to  employ  for  this  end:  we  thank  him  for  you,  and 
for  your  helper,  Mr.  Milne.  We  bless  God,  who  has 
continued  your  lives  in  a  sultry  climate,  maintained 
your  mental  and  corporal  powers,  and  spared  you  to 
see  the  completion  of  your  great  labour.  The  Trans- 
lators of  king  James's  Bible  had  a  feast  when  they 
finished  that  work,  to  denote  their  joy  and  gladness 
on  the  important  occasion,  and  though  neither  you 
nor  we  assemble  our  friends  for  the  purpose  of  bodily 
gratification,  on  the  finishing  of  the  Chinese  Bible, 
yet  we  rejoice  together,  and  may  I  not  say,  with  *  a 
joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory,'  for  we  cannot  believe 
that  your  great  labour  in  this  good  work  shall  be  in 


1821.3       FBOM  THB  REV.  JOHN  BURDER.  97 

Tain  in  the  Lord,  but  that  generations  yet  unborn 
shall  rise  up  to  bless  Qod  for  the  Holy  Scriptures  in  the 
Chinese  language,  and  to  bless  him,  too,  that  he  raised 
up  a  Society  in  England  who  sent  Morrison,  and  af- 
terwards Milne,  to  produce  the  volume.  May  the 
God  whom  you  have  thus  served,  bless  you  and  your's 
with  all  Bible  blessings,  in  time  and  to  eternity. 

"  Your  observations  on  translations  in  general,  and 
on  your's  in  particular,  are  just.  Never  mind  what 
opponents  say ;  the  work  is  done,  and  Qod  will  bless  it, 
nor  will  he  forget  this  work  of  faith  and  labour  of  love 
when  he  will  render  to  every  man  according  to  his 
works.  Bless  God,  my  dear  Sir,  that  ever  you  were 
bom,  and  bom  again,  and  enabled  to  effect  this  work : 
you  have  lived  to  good  purpose  in  having  lived  to 
publish  a  Chinese  Bible.  Thank  God,  and  take 
courage. 

**Your  other  works  are  important,  though  not 
equally  so.  May  the  Lord  spare  you  to  finish  the 
Dictionary,  and  your  other  projected  plans  fo  public 
utility ;  and  may  you  see  the  prosperity  of  the  Anglo- 
Chinese  College,  and  of  the  whole  Ultra- Ganges 
Mission. 

**  We  think  of  sending  out,  as  soon  as  possible,  two 
additional  missionaries  to  Malacca,  in  order  that  two 
of  those  already  there,  and  who  may  be  already  ac- 
quainted with  the  Malay  tongue,  may  go  to  the  new- 
settlement  at  Sincapore,  a  station  which  seems  to  us, 
as  to  Mr.  Milne,  of  great  probable  importance. 

"  Grace  and  peace  be  multiplied  towards  you,  and 
may  you  long  live  to  diffuse  most  widely  the  sweet 
savour  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  in  the  east. 
"  So  wishes  and  prays, 

^'  Your  afiectionate  brother  in  Jesus, 

"George  Burder. 

Vol.  II.  H 


98  CORRESFOirDENCB.  [1820. 

**P.8.  We  have  just  heard,  by  a  gentleman  who 
called  lately  at  Malacca,  that  Mr.  Milne  appears  to 
be  in  a  bad  state  of  health,  and  that  it  may  be  ex- 
pedient for  him  to  take  a  voyage  to  Europe,  or  at 
least  to  the  Cape.  So  valuable  a  life  must  be  taken 
care  of,  and  I  am  persuaded  the  Directors  cannot 
object  to  any  measure  which  may  be  deemed  neces- 
sary for  that  purpose." 

The  proverbial  instability  of  earthly  happiness  has, 
perhaps,  seldom  been  more  strikingly  exemplified  than 
in  the  experience  of  the  subject  of  iJiese  memoirs  dur- 
ing the  present  year ;  but  who  has  not  felt  the  truth 
of  these  beautiful  lines 


**  The  brightest  things  beneath  the  sky. 
Give  but  a  flattering  light; 
We  should  suspect  some  danger  nigh. 
When  we  possess  delight " 

Only  a  few  short  months  restored  to  the  enjoyment 
of  domestic  happiness,  with  every  prospect  of  its  con- 
tinuance— ^when,  alas!  in  a  moment  the  scene  became 
overcast,  and  the  hopes  which  the  morning's  sun 
dawned  on,  were  blighted  ere  the  shades  of  evening 
set  in. 

The  circumstances  attendant  on  this  sudden  cala- 
mity are  briefly,  but  affectingly  traced  by  Dr.  Mor- 
rison, in  the  following  letter  to  his  father  and  mother- 
in-law  : — 

TO  JOHN  MORTON,  ESQ.,  AND  TO  MRS.  MORTON. 

''Macao,  China,  June  12,  1821. 

"  My  Dear  Father  and  Mother, 
"  My  beloved  Mary,  from  the  last  time  of  her  arrival 
in  China,  enjoyed  remarkably  good  health — seldom 


1821 J  DBATH  OF  MRS.  MORBISON.  99 

or  ever  requiring  medical  aid.  We  were  pleasantly 
ritoatedi  and  had  a  piece  of  ground  before  our  house 
hy  the  seandde  in  Macao,  where  we  and  the  children 
walked  happily  together  almost  every  evening.  We 
then,  after  our  evening  prayers,  sat  down  round  a 
table;  all  occupied  in  something  useful,  or  amusing. 
My  Mary  was  occupied  innocently  and  pleasantly  in 
making  clothes  for  her  expected  babe ;  and  got  all  her 
house  in  order  most  comfortably.  Yet,  amidst  all  this, 
she  never  went  to  rest,  nor  rose  to  work,  without  read- 
ing considerable  portions  of  her  Bible ;  and  since  she 
came  out  to  China,  she  read,  I  believe,  the  whole  of 
Milner^s  Church  History,  which  she  found  edifying. 
^^Mary  had  a  strong  sense  of  religion,  an  ardent 
love  to  her  Saviour,  and  a  full  conviction  of  the  un- 
certainty and  insufficiency  of  all  temporal  enjoyments. 
She  therefore  rejoiced  with  trembling.  We  often 
said  to  each  other,  that  we  must  take  care  not  to 
set  our  hearts  on  earthly  things;  for  we  were  too 
happy.  As  she  approached  the  time  of  her  confine- 
ment, she  said  that  sometimes  she  felt  fear.  Fear,  I 
know,  is  salutary,  and  I  never  said,  *  Don't  be  afraid' — 
but  I  said,  ^  Trust  in  God ;'  and  I  daily  alluded,  in  my 
prayers,  to  our  being  prepared  for  all  God's  will  con- 
cerning us.  In  my  secret  prayers,  I  besought  of  God, 
that  she  might  be  the  living  mother  of  a  living  child. 
Latterly,  Mary  felt  more  resignation,  and  less  fear. 
During  a  month  or  six  weeks  past,  she,  four  or  five 
times,  rose  up  suddenly,  just  when  falling  asleep,  and 
said,  she  felt  a  sensation  of  suffocation,  and  sometimes 
had  a  slight  retching ;  but  it  went  off  almost  imme- 
diately ;  and  in  the  morning  she  felt  quite  well.  On 
the  night  of  the  8th  of  June,  she  had  a  profuse  per- 
spiration and  some  pains,  which  she  apprehended  in- 
dicated the  approach  of  labour ;  but  in  the  morning 

11  2 


100  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1821. 

she  was  tolerably  well,  and  worked  all  Saturday, 
getting  ready  little  things,  rejoicing,  trembling,  hop- 
ing, fearing.  On  Saturday  evening,  she  sat  up  rather 
late,  putting  away  all  the  work  for  Sunday,  and  read- 
ing her  chapter,  which  she  never  omitted.  During 
the  night,  a  profuse  perspiration  came  on ;  and  about 
half-past  seven  in  the  morning,  whilst  dressing,  a 
purging  and  vomiting  attacked  her.  She  took  a  little 
breakfast,  but  looked  very  pale.  At  ten,  I  wrote  to  Mr. 
Livingstone,  to  prevent  his  going  to  church.  He 
came  most  kindly,  almost  immediately.  Mrs.  L.  came 
too.  The  symptoms  continued ;  Mary's  strength  fast 
failed.  A  difficulty  of  breathing  came  on.  She 
asked  Mr.  L.  and  me  also,  if  there  appeared  danger  1 
I  did  not  conceal  it.  She  raised  her  eyes  to  heaven, 
and  looked  resigned.  She  was  too  weak  to  speak 
much.  A  cold  sweat  diiSused  itself  over  her ;  below 
her  eyes,  became  black.  Mr.  Pearson  was  called  in 
by  Mr.  L.  Every  means  was  tried.  I  prayed  to  God 
for  Mary.  She  appeared  somewhat  relieved  and  easier. 
She  told  me  at  three  j9.  m.,  that  she  was  better ;  I  feared 
much.  I  sent  in  the  children  to  kiss  her.  She  was 
too  low  to  notice  them.  Throughout  the  day  she  had 
a  strong  thirst.  *  Congee!  more  congee !  '*  was  her  cry 
when  she  could  speak.  About  eight  p.  m.j  Mr.  L. 
thought  delivery  had  advanced,  and  gathered  fresh 
hopes.  We  remembered  her  recovery  on  a  former 
occasion,  and  hoped  she  would  get  through  this.  The 
purging  went  off,  but  the  vomiting  continued.  About 
half-past  nine,  the  retching  was  shockingly  intense — 
and  when  I  held  her  dear  head  during  the  fits,  her 
suffering  was  indeed  great ;  but  when  she  laid  her 
weary  head  back  on  the  pillow,  she  said,  she  had  ^  no 
pain.'     They  tried  to  encourage  her  with  the  hope  of 

*  Drink  made  of  rice.     . 


1821.]  DEATH  OF  MRS.  MORRISON.  101 

delivery,  but  she  cried,  *  I  have  no  pains/  The  retch- 
ing continued.  Mrs.  Livingstone,  Mr.  L.,  myself, 
and  four^  female  servants,  were  standing  by,  assisting 
as  much  as  one  frail  mortal  can  assist  another.  About 
ten  o^clock,  Mary's  breathing  became  difficult;  the 
difficulty  increased,  and  the  retching  continued ;  and 
finally,  about  half-past  ten,  after  a  severe  fit,  she  threw 
her  head  back,  and  without  any  distortion  in  her 
features,  with  her  head  on  my  arm,  the  heart  and 
lungs  ceased  to  act.  Mary  died !  and  our  little  babe, 
alas!  found  a  grave  in  its  mother's  womb.  O,  my 
Ood,  what  shall  I  say!  Thus  ended  our  darling 
Mary's  short  and  afflicted  life. 

''  I  bless  God  for  the  assured  hope  that  she  is  in 
heaven — ^thather  departed  spirit  has  reached  the  haven 
of  eternal  rest.  But  for  my  dear  motherless  children, 
who  are  weeping  around  me,  I  would  forego  my  own 
happiness  on  earth,  and  resign  my  Mary  to  go  be- 
fore me,  from  the  storms  of  this  tempestuous  world. 
The  idea  of  leaving  my  dear  Mary  in  her  frequently 
enfeebled  state,  made  death  terrible  to  me.  Qod  gave 
her,  at  last,  a  season  of  health,  and  peace,  and  comfort, 
and  inclined  her  heart  to  improve  it  well.  Yet,  oh, 
how  great  the  disappointment !  Oh,  what  a  stroke !  In 
every  part  of  the  house  are  memorials  of  Mary's  inno- 
cent and  laudable  anxieties  and  preparations,  and 
those  fond  anticipations  which  mothers  only  know. 

"  On  Sunday,  Mr.  Livingstone  never  left  the  house, 
but  about  five  minutes;  and  he  remained  hours  by 
the  side  of  Mary's  couch.  Mrs.  L.,  Mr.  L.,  and  Mr. 
Pearson  did  what  was  necessary  to  the  remains,  and 
left  the  house  about  twelve  p.  m. 

"  On  Monday,  I  wished  to  inter  Mary  out  at  the 
hills,  where  our  James  was  buried ;  but  the  Chinese 
would  not  let  me  even  open  the  same  grave.     I  dis- 


102  OORRESPONDENCB.  [1821. 

Uked  burying  under  the  town  walls,  but  was  obliged 
to  resolve  on  doing  so,  as  the  Papists  refuse  their 
burying  ground  to  Protestants.  The  want  of  a  Pro- 
testant burying  ground  has  long  been  felt  in  Macao, 
and  the  present  case  brought  it  strongly  before  the 
Committee  of  the  English  Factory,  who  immediately 
resolved  to  vote  a  sum  sufficient  to  purchase  a  piece 
of  ground,  worth  between  three  and  four  thousand 
dollars ;  and  personally  exerted  themselves  to  remove 
the  legal  impediments  and  local  difficulties ;  in  which 
they  finally  succeeded.  This  enabled  me  to  lay  the 
remains  of  my  beloved  wife  in  a  place  appropriated  to 
the  sepulture  of  Protestant  Christians,  denied  a  place 
of  interment  by  the  Romanists.  ' 

^^Mr.  Livingstone,  Mr.  Pearson,  the  President, 
and  Committee  of  the  English  Factory,  Mr.  Urm- 
ston.  Sir  W.  Fraser,  &c.,  bore  the  pall.  All  the  gen- 
tlemen of  the  Factory,  also  Counsellor  Pereira,  Sir  A. 
Ljoungstedt,  the  Russian  Consul,  and  other  foreigners 
in  Macao,  attended  the  funeral.  Mr.  Harding,  Chap- 
lain to  the  Factory,  read  the  funeral  service  at  the 
grave ;  and  the  whole  detail  of  the  funeral  was  con- 
ducted with  decency  and  rei^pectability  by  the  Eng- 
lish servants  of  the  Factory.  Rebecca,  John,  and  I 
attended  their  dear  mamma  to  the  tomb;  we  were 
loath  to  forsake  her  remains.  Our  Chinese  domestics 
and  teachers  also,  voluntarily  accompanied  the  funeral. 

"  Our  Mary  was  much  esteemed  by  all  who  ever 
conversed  with  her.  She  had  an  excellent  understand- 
ing, and  a  well-principled  heart.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mo- 
lony  have  to-day  joined  in  a  letter  of  condolence,  say- 
ing, that  in  their  voyage  out,  they  had  an  opportunity 
of  ascertaining  Mrs.  Morrison's  Christian  disposition, 
and  were  then  much  comforted  by  her  society. 

^^  Thus,  my  dear  Father  and  Mother,  I  have  given 


1821.]  DEATH  OF  MBS.  MORRISON.  103 

you  a  brief  outline  of  this  sad  and  afilictive  occur- 
rence. I  will  not  say,  *  Grieve  not.'  Oh,  no !  I  have 
shed  many  tears  for  Mary.  Let  us  shed  many  tears 
of  affectionate  remembrance,  for  she  was  worthy  of 
our  love ;  and  *  the  finger  of  God'  often  *  touched '  her, 
as  it  did  him,  who  of  old  was  the  most  afilicted  of 
mortals.  But  she  is  now  beyond  the  reach  of  all  evil ; 
where  there  is  neither  sickness,  nor  pain,  nor  death. 
Yet,  to  me,  oh !  what  a  dismal  blank  has  her  demise 
occasioned ;  and  to  our  children,  what  a  loss !  I  can 
as  yet  form  no  plans  respecting  them.  Rebecca  al- 
ready sees  the  difficulty,  and  has  asked  me  whether  I 
will  go  to  Canton  or  not.  She  was  satisfied  with  the 
reasons  which  guide  me.  ^God  will  provide.'  We 
know  not  what  may  occur,  before  it  is  necessary  for 
me  to  leave  Macao.  Thus,  therefore,  at  present,  I 
must  resign  the  subject.  Farewell!  The  Lord  him- 
self support  your  mind,  if  this  find  you  in  life,  to 
mourn  the  death  of  your  beloved  daughter,  and  my 
darling  wife.     Farewell !" 

"  Sunday,  June  17. — ^To-day  every  person  in  the 
English  Society,  on  account  of  Mary's  death,  appeared 
in  mourning  at  church.  Mrs.  Livingstone  has  pro- 
mised to  take  care  of  Kebecca,  during  the  winter, 
and  I  will,  if  spared,  take  John  with  me  to  Canton. 
Mrs.  Molony  and  Mrs.  Plowden  have  also  offered  to 
do  what  they  can  for  Rebecca.  Mrs.  Molony  has 
further  offered  to  take  her  to  England,  when  she  goes 
in  1822 ;  but  I  have  not  determined  what  to  do  re- 
specting her.  I  wish  she  could  be  serviceable  to  the 
heathen." 

In  a  letter  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Missionary 
Society,  on  the  same  afflictive  occasion,  he  says : — 

"  My  son  John,  if  God  spare  us  both,  I  mean  to 


104  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1821. 

bring  up  as  a  Chinese  scholar;  and  pray  and  hope 
that  his  heart  may  be  influenced  by  ^  the  God  of  the 
spirits  of  all  flesh/  to  become  a  preacher  of  Christ^s 
gospel  to  the  Chinese. 

**  I  purpose,  by  God's  grace,  to  be  more  and  more 
devoted  to  the  good  cause ;  but  God  alone  can  give 
success  to  the  labours  of  Christian  missionaries.  May 
we  all  be  earnest  in  prayer  for  the  Divine  blessing,  for 
*  the  time  is  short  that  we  have  to  labour.' " 

From  the  resident  families  in  Macao,  Dr.  Morrison 
received  all  the  attention  which  friendship  or  respect 
could  dictate  on  this  melancholy  occasion — and  the 
zeal,  and  promptitude  with  which  the  Select  Committee 
obtained  a  piece  of  ground  for  a  suitable  cemetery  at 
the  expense  of  JEIOOO,  was  no  slight  proof  of  iheir 
sympathy  and  esteem.  But  soothing  as  human  sym- 
pathy certainly  is, — ^yet,  under  heavy  afiliction,  it  is 
only  the  hand  which  inflicts  the  stroke,  that  can 
effiBctually  pour  the  balm  of  consolation  into  the 
wounded  mind,  and  He  who  is  at  all  times  the  refuge 
and  strength  of  his  people,  they  find,  in  an  especial  man- 
ner, to  be  "  a  very  present  help  in  trouble."  Still,  such 
was  the  efiect  of  this  sudden  bereavement,  that  Dr. 
Morrison's  health  and  spirits  sufiered  considerably  for 
some  time,  which  accounts  for  the  blank  in  his  general 
correspondence  during  the  remainder  of  this  year,  as 
he  only  wrote  to  his  immediate  kindred  and  family. 
However,  he  resumed  his  oflBicial  duties  at  the  usual 
season,  leaving  his  daughter  under  the  care  of  his 
kind  friends.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Livingstone,  at  Macao,  and 
taking  his  son  with  him  to  Canton,  until  the  depar- 
ture of  the  Company's  ships  would  enable  him  to 
send  both  of  his  children  to  England,  which  event  took 
place  early  in  the  ensuing  year,  leaving  him  once 


1821.]  TO  THS  REV.  DB.  MORRISON.  105 

more  to  pursue  his  various  labours  in  solitude — ^but 
If  ith  unabated  diligence.  Besides  the  duties  of  his  civil 
appointment,  and  the  completion  of  his  Dictionary, 
he  was  occupied  with  works  of  minor  importance ;  yet 
all  bearing  on  his  primary  object:  and  at  no  period 
did  he  remit  his  efforts  to  communicate  religious  in- 
struction to  those  of  the  natives,  who  could  be  induced 
to  attend  them. 

The  joy  which  the  translation  of  the  Bible  into 
Chinese  diffused  throughout  the  religious  world,  mani- 
fested itself  in  such  strains  of  Christian  sentiment,  as 
well  as  gratitude,  towards  the  agents  who  effected  the 
work,  that  many  of  the  following  letters,  received 
about  this  period,  could  scarcely  fail  of  exerting  a 
cheering  influence  on  the  minds  of  those  to  whom 
they  were  addressed.  May  others  also  be  stimulated 
by  them,  to  attempt  great  things  in  the  same  cause ! 

They  are  presented  to  the  reader  more  according  to 
their  subjects,  than  as  it  regards  the  order  of  their 
dates. 

FROM  D.  W.  C.  OLYPHANT,  ESQ.,  CANTON. 

"  My  Dear  Sir,  "  Sabbath,  June  24th,  1821. 

"  I  received  your  note  of  the  19th,  with  the  enclo- 
sures confirming  the  report,  which  had  reached  us  at 
Canton,  of  the  affliction  which  it  has  pleased  our 
Heavenly  Father  to  visit  you  in  bereaving  you  of  the 
dearest  of  earthly  comforts.  I  feel  how  heavy  your 
loss  is,  and  I  sincerely  sympathize  with  you.  But  as 
you  have  taught  others,  so  I  trust  you  now  experience 
it  as  your  privilege  to  know,  that  though  called  to 
weep,  it  is  not  as  those  who  are  ignorant  of  the  truth 
that  *  Jesus  hath  abolished  death.'  When  you  look 
around  you  and  behold  the  thousands  that  are  igno- 
rant of  this  truth,  and  know  nothing  of  its  consolations. 


106  OFFICIAL  LETTER  [1821. 

and  compare  your  lot  with  theirs,  your  heart  must 
rejoice  even  *in  trihulation/  I  pray  for  you,  that  the 
goodness  of  God  in  Christ  may  be  present  with  you 
and  support  you,  and  that  you  may  see  that,  though 
he  hath  Humed  his  hand  upon  you,'  he  hath  done  it 
in  very  faithfuhiess.  He  *  moves  in  a  mysterious 
way,  his  wonders  to  perform/  Labouring  in  the 
service  of  your  Lord  and  Master,  in  a  land  destitute 
of  Christian  society,  he  hath  taken  from  you  that 
friend  more  especially  dear  to  you,  as  the  one  with 
whom  you  could  take  sweet  counsel  in  the  ways  of 
the  Lord.  It  seems  strange.  But  your  loss  is  her 
gain,  and  it  shall  be  yours.  Your  heart  covets  bless- 
ings for  the  poor  heathen.  Perhaps  this  trial  was 
needful  for  you  that  they  might  reap  the  benefit. 
May  your  grief  be  turned  into  joy  in  their  salvation. 
I  have  not  much  to  offer.  I  sincerely  sympathize 
with  you  and  your  bereaved  children ;  not  forgetting 
you  or  them  at  a  throne  of  grace,  where  I  trust  you 
find  abundant  consolation. 

"  I  remain,  dear  Sir, 

^*  Sincerely  your's, 

"  D.  W.  C.  Olyphant." 

TO  THE  REVEREND  DRS.  MORRISON  AND  MILNE»  AT  CANTON 

AND  MALACCA. 

''  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  House, 
''Earl  Street,  London,  Jan.  26,  1821. 

^^  Reverend  Gentlemen, 
"  I  have  the  satisfaction  of  replying  in  the  name  of 
the  Committee  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society, 
to  Dr.  Milne's  favour  of  the  3rd  of  August,  and  to  Dr. 
Morrison's  favours  of  the  14th  and  25th  of  November, 
and  the  Srd  of  December,  1819,  on  the  subject  of  the 
Chinese  Scriptures ;  the  principal  purport  of  all  which 


1821.]]  FROM  TH£  BIBLE  SOCIETY.  107 

isy   that  the  canonical   books   of  the  Old  and  New 
Testament  have  been  completed;  that  the  last  grant 
of  jE  1000  of  our  Committee  has  been  drawn  for,  and 
the  printing  of  the  whole  Bible  in  the  Chinese  lan- 
guage  is   in   progress.     They  further  communicate 
details  of  the  mode  adopted  to  render  the  version  as 
correct  as  possible  under  existing  circumstances;   of 
the  prospect  for  a  new  revised  edition  of  the  whole ; 
of   the   disinterested   manner   in   which   the    Com- 
mittee's grants  are  applied  to  the  work,  exclusive  of 
any  chaises  for  your  personal  services  and  support ; 
of  openings  at  Java,  Pinang,  and  Sincapore,  for  dis- 
tributing Chinese  Scriptures  to  advantage ;  of  hopes 
to  profit   by  the  trade  to  Ochotsk,   for  distributing 
the  Scriptures  in  the  Loo-choo  Islands,  and  even  in 
Japan;    of  the    martyrdom   of  a   pious   printer   at 
Canton;   of  Dr.   Milne's  family  affliction.     I  need 
not  tell  you,  that  our  Committee  takes  the  deepest 
interest  in  all  these  communications,  and  whilst  they 
rejoice  in  the  actual  and  prospective  progress  of  a 
work  which,  under  the  blessing  of  the   Almighty, 
may  become   the   means    of   converting    the   most 
powerful  nation  of  idolaters  in  the  universe  to  Christ, 
they  admire  the  virtues,  (of  Him  who  will  be  glori- 
fied  in  his  saints,)  which  adorn  the  instruments  of 
his  grace,   employed   in   this   great  undertaking; — 
they  sympathize  with  their  sufferings   and  difficul- 
ties, and  feel  it  their  duty,  as  stewards  of  the  boun- 
ties of  a   Christian  public   for   the  Propagation   of 
the  Word   of  God,  to   assist   them  with    all   their 
might.    As  a  proof  of  such  being  the  effect  of  your 
interesting   Keports,  I  have   the  satisfaction  to  an- 
nounce  to  you,  that,  by  a  resolution,  unanimously 
passed  at  the  Meeting  of  our  Committee  of  Novem- 
ber  last,   and  confirmed   by  a   subsequent   general 


108  OFFICIAL  LETTER  [1821. 

Meeting  of  the  same,  a  fresh  grant  of  one  thousand 
pounds  sterling,  has  been  placed  at  your  disposal, 
for  the  furtherance  of  the  multiplication  and  dis- 
tribution of  the  Chinese  Scriptures. 

"For  this  sum  you  may,  as  heretofore,  draw  on 
the  Treasurer,  at  thirty  days'  sight,  whenever  you 
deem  it  necessary ;  only  with  this  difference,  which 
I  beg  you  will  please  to  observe,  that  the  bill  must 
be  drawn  on  John  Thornton,  Esq.,  No.  10,  Earl 
Street,  Blackfriars,  with  a  letter  of  advice  affixed  to 
the  bill,  and  a  separate  letter  of  advice  directed  in 
the  same  manner  as  the  bill,  to  Earl  Street. 

"  Of  the  Mongol  Tartar  Gospels  of  St.  Matthew 
and  St.  John  (all  that  has  hitherto  been  completed), 
printed  at  St.  Petersburg,  six  copies  at  present  are  sent 
for  the  use  of  yourselves  and  fellow-labourers.  It  is, 
undoubtedly,  of  great  consequence,  and  extremely 
desirable,  that  Dr.  Milne  should  not  absent  himself 
from  the  sphere  of  his  labours  without  the  greatest 
necessity.  You  are,  I  think,  perfectly  right  respecting 
the  duties  of  a  father ;  and  the  observation  is  just,  that 
Christians  ought  to  care  for  the  children  of  those  who 
labour  for  the  cause  of  the  gospel,  who  on  that  account 
have  not  the  means  of  making  the  necessary  provision 
for  their  o&prings.  I  am  firmly  persuaded,  that  he 
who  guideth  the  hearts,  as  the  water  brooks,  will  not 
fail  to  dispose  those  of  his  children  who  have  the 
means,  to  supply  the  needful  as  soon  as  the  case  is 
made  known  to  them.  I  trust,  if  any  thing  of  the 
kind  is  requisite  for  Dr.  Milne's  family,  those  whose 
duty  it  is  to  bring  the  case  forward  will  not  fail  of 
Buccess. 

"  We  cordially  join  in  your  prayers  for  the  con- 
tinuance of  your  lives,  in  order  to  the  completion  of 
the  arduous  task  you  have  in  hand. — Independent  of 


1821.]  FROM  THE  BIBLB  SOCIETY.  109 

the  incalculable  good  that  may  be  done  to  the  Chinese 
nation,  by  a  complete  version  of  the  Scriptures  in 
their  native  tongue,  the  production  of  copies  of  your 
translation  has  already  gained  for  our  Institution 
many  friends,  and  even  fellow  labourers,  from  among 
those  who  formerly  were  entirely  indifferent  on  the  sub- 
ject of  Scripture  dissemination,  if  not  hostile  to  the  ob- 
ject itself.  The  learned  in  Europe  had  their  curiosity 
excited  to  the  highest  degree,  when  the  completion 
of  the  Chinese  New  Testament  was  announced ;  and 
whilst  some  doubted  of  the  truth  of  these  news,  they 
have  been  astonished  and  scarcely  trusted  their  own 
eyes,  when  they  could  hold  a  copy  in  their  own  hands, 
and  purchase  it  for  their  own  libraries.  The  whole  Bible 
will,  in  this  way,  produce  a  most  powerful  effect. — 
The  printer  whom  you  mention  as  having  been  called 
to  suffer  for  r^hteousness^  sake,  as  he  is  on  the  one 
hand  a  kind  of  first  fruits  of  the  effect  of  the  Scriptures 
in  the  Chinese  langus^e,  gives  on  the  other  not  dubi- 
ously to  understand,  that  the  Lord  would  not  grant  to 
the  publication  of  private  meditations,  how  pious  so- 
ever they  may  be,  that  protection,  which  he  vouchsafes 
to  the  publication  of  his  own  word.  I  am  led  to  this 
reflection  by  the  circumstance  you  mention,  that  this 
man  found  more  edification  in  his  own  compositions 
than  in  the  Scriptures  themselves,  or  Tracts  of  your 
composition.  Standing  here,  as  it  were,  on  an  eminence 
from  which  the  progress  of  the  w^ord  of  God  in  the 
whole  world  may  be  observed,  I  have  not  unfrequently 
perceived  that  the  simple  distribution  of  the  Scriptures, 
with  the  absence  of  all  attempts  at  proselytism,  has 
met  with  less  obstruction,  and  ultimately  been  more 
effectual  in  enlightening  those  who  were  involved  in 
the  darkness  of  superstition,  idolatry,  and  infidelity, 
than  attempts  made,  with  the  same  views,  by  the  dis- 


110  OFFICIAL  LETTER  [1821. 

tribution  of  religious  books,  where  the  Scriptures  had 
not  yet  been  spread;  or  by  preaching  i^ainst  the 
errors  of  those  churches  which  have  perverted  their 
meaning,  and  neglected  or  prohibited  their  perusal. 
It  is  remarkable,  that  the  Lord  has  in  our  days  so 
paralyzed  the  prohibitory  decrees  of  Rome,  that 
wherever  an  attempt  to  enforce  them  is  made,  a  greater 
desire  to  read  the  Scriptures  is  excited,  and  Providence 
interferes  in  order  to  facilitate  its  gratification.  Strike 
ing  examples  of  this  kind  afford,  at  present,  the  coun- 
tries of  Spain,  Naples,  and  some  parts  of  the  newly 
revolutionized  provinces  of  New  Spain  in  America. 
Before  another  twelve  months  shall  have  elapsed,  I 
hope  our  reports  will  have  those  vacancies  filled  up 
which  these  countries  hitherto  left  in  them.  These 
countries,  from  a  natural  consequence  of  the  state  of 
spiritual  oppression  under  which  they  have  so  long 
been  groaning,  are,  at  this  moment  of  political  revolu- 
tion, greatly  tormented  by  the  contention  between 
superstition  and  infidelity,  while  the  wisest  and  best 
among  these  nations  begin  to  see  that  there  is  no  hap- 
piness to  be  acquired  without  a  return  to  pure  religion 
—to  the  written  word  of  God,  as  the  only  source  of 
it.  Some  of  the  most  excellent  among  the  Spanish 
clergy  are  at  present  occupied  in  printing  the  Scrip- 
tures in  the  langui^es  6f  their  country,  without  note 
or  comment,  and  I  need  not  tell  you,  that  their  appli- 
cation for  help  has  not  been  in  vain. 

"  Now,  in  this  country,  every  attempt  to  convert  the 
inhabitants  to  a  Protestant  church  would  be  impossi- 
ble, the  supreme  court  of  legislation  having  sentenced 
to  death  every  man  who  attempted  to  change  the  re- 
ligion of  the  country.  To  distribute  a  Catholic  ap- 
proved version  of  the  Scriptures  is  not,  nor  indeed  can 
be  considered,  as  such  an  attempt;    and  when  the 


1821.3  FROM  THE  BraLE  SOCIETY.  Ill 

Scriptares  shall  have  been  spread  and  read  through 
this  country,  we  may  rely  on  the  promise  of  him  who 
gave  the  word,  that  they  shall  not  return  void,  but 
eflEect  that  change  of  the  heart,  which  its  knowledge 
by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  produces. 

"  In  France,  upwards  of  40,000  copies  of  De  Sacy's 
version  of  the  New  Testament,  have  been  circulated 
among  its  Catholic  inhabitants  by  the  Society's  fellow 
labourers  alone. 

**The  Protestant  Bible  Society  is  daily  gaining 
ground,  and  perhaps  you  will  receive,  by  the  present 
opportunity,  a  translation  of  the  speech  of  one  of  its 
members  at  the  last  anniversary  held  at  Paris,  which 
is  a  masterpiece  without  an  equal,  and  of  which  a 
great  effect,  by  the  blessing  of  him  who  inspired  the 
speaker,  may  be  expected. 

^'It  is  not  unlikely  that  the  zeal  of  the  Spanish 
Catholics  for  distributing  the  Scriptures  will,  in  due 
time,  have  a  very  blessed  re-action  upon  those  of 
France ;  among  whom  there  are  many  secret  promoters 
of  it,  but  none  who  have  ventured  to  put  themselves  at 
the  head  of  the  work:  The  officiousness  of  some  over- 
zealous  proselytists,  who  have  affected  to  be  agents  of 
the  Bible  Society,  have  greatly  hindered  the  public 
progress  of  the  work. 

"  In  Germany,  a  general  return  to  the  simplicity  of 
the  Scriptures  has  taken  place.  Spurious  philosophy 
begins  to  fall  into  discredit ;  infidelity  plots  in  secret, 
but  dares  not  show  its  face  so  publicly  as  before ;  and 
a  German  Missionary  Society,  with  many  auxiliaries, 
begins  to  fiouiish  at  Basle,  whose  attention  is  chiefly 
directed  to  the  Mediterrauean.  All  this  may  be  con- 
sidered as  the  fruit  with  which  the  Lord  has  blessed 
the  simple  distribution  of  the  Scriptures,  and  the  at- 


112  OFFICIAL  LETTER  [1821, 

tention  to  their  contents  excited  by  the  public  labours 
of  Bible  Societies. 

"  The  daily  experience  which  we  thus  make  of  the 
peculiar  favours  by  which  our  God  owns  his  own 
wordy  leads  us  naturally  to  the  conclusion,  that,  with 
regard  to  China,  the  enlightening  of  that  great  nation 
will  go  an  equal  pace  with  the  extent  to  which  the 
Holy  Scriptures  shall  become  known  to  them  in  their 
connected  state,  and  with  that  fidelity,  perspicuity,  and 
simplicity,  with  which  you  have  endeavoured  to  render 
the  original  into  the  Chinese  tongue. 

"  We  firmly  believe  with  you,  that  in  his  own  ap- 
pointed time,  the  Lord  will  open  the  doors  for  the 
entrance  of  his  light ;  still  we  would  never  forget,  in 
anticipating  this  event,  that  it  is  the  very  nature  of 
his  works,  for  the  salvation  of  men,  that  they  go  on 
slowly  and  unperceived  by  unhallowed  eyes,  until 
the  leaven  shall  have  communicated  its  salutary  flavour 
to  the  whole  lump. — From  small  beginnings,  all  great 
works  have  started,  and  we  shall  not  be  found  mistaken 
in  dating  the  commencement  of  the  regeneration  of 
China,  from  the  day  when  the  first  Chinese  New 
Testament  was  put  into  the  hands  of  a  Chinese  who 
read  it.  Remote  as  the  time  may  seem  to  be,  when 
this  grain  of  mustard  seed  shall  shoot  its  branches  to 
every  part  of  that  benighted  land,  it  will  come  as 
assuredly  as  He  is  faithful  and  true,  who  has  sworn  by 
his  own  existence,  that  'all  the  earth  shall  be  filled 
with  the  glory  of  the  Lord.' 

"  We  therefore  may  encourage  you,  as  those  who 
speak  from  abundant  experience,  'Be  ye  steadfast, 
unmoved,  always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord, 
forasmuch  as  ye  know  that  your  labour  is  not  in 
vain  in  the  Lord.' 

"  The  labours  of  the  Russian  Bible  Society  have 


1821.3       ^^OU  THB  LONDOK  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY.  113 

nearly  reached  the  frontiers  of  China  on  the  north, 
and  it  will  not  he  long  hefore  steps  will  he  taken  to 
extend  them  to  all  those  provinces  which  horder  upon 
the  Roman  empire.  At  Serampore,  the  whole  Bihle  in 
another  dialect  of  the  Chinese,  is  likewise  completed, 
we  trust,  hy  this  time :  thus  every  thing  indicates  the 
approach  of  the  period  when  the  sword  of  the  Spirit 
shall  pervade  the  land,  and  make  way  for  the  King  of 
Glory  to  come  in. 

"  And  now  allow  me,  gentlemen,  to  beseech  you  to 
assist  the  labourers  of  our  Society,  with  your  fervent 
prayers,  as  well  as  with  your  arduous  labours;  for, 
whatever  be  the  success  with  which  the  Lord  crowns 
his  ovm  work,  we  deeply  feel  that  it  is  altogether  His ; 
that,  without  Him,  the  mighty  enemies  which  are 
still  raging  against  it  without,  and  still  more  the  in- 
firmities and  the  insufficiency  of  those  who  carry  on 
the  work  within,  would  soon  reduce  to  nothing  that 
mighty  engine  which  now  gives  a  salutary  impulse 
to  the  whole  Christian  world,  and  communicates  the 
waters  of  life  to  every  nation  under  heaven.  I  am 
with  the  sincerest  esteem,  reverend  gentlemen,  your 
very  obedient  humble  servant  in  Christ  Jesus, 

"  E.  F.  RONNEBERG, 
'*  Foreign  Assistant  Secretary." 

FROM  THE  LONDON  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY  TO  THE 

REV.  DR.  MORRISON. 

"  London,  Jan.  29th,  1821. 

"  My  dear  Friend  and  Brother, 

"  Your  letters  of  December,  8,  21,  and  22,  1819, 
and  of  February  12,  March  29,  and  April  2,  1820, 
were  duly  received,  and  have  been  laid  before  the 
Directors. 

"  Your  copies  of  Part  XL  of  the  Chinese  Dictionary 

Vol.  u.  I 


114  CORRESPONDENCB.  [182  L 

(care  of  Black  and   Co.)  have  arrived,  but  we  have 
not  yet  procured  them  from  the  India-House,  as  a 
duty  is  demanded,  which  would  be  about  £100.    This, 
we  hope,  will  be  remitted  by  the  Lords  of  the  Treasury. 
''We  cannot  but  lament  that  the  field  of  your 
labours,  as  a  living  and   oral  instructor,  is,  by  the 
intolerance  of  superiors,  so  extremely  limited;    yet, 
dear  Sir,  be  not  dismayed.     He  who  rules  over  all, 
knows  well  what  is  in  your  heart,  and  how  gladly 
you  would  proclaim  the  gospel,  as  on  the  house-top, 
were  you  permitted.     We  trust  that  he  will  at  length 
remove  all  obstacles,  and  give  a  'free  course  to  the 
word,  that  it  may  be  glorified.'     In  the  mean  time, 
remember  that  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  '  which  are  able 
to  make  men  wise  unto  salvation,'  are,  through  your 
assiduous  and  successful  labours,  now  making  their 
silent  march  through  the  empire,  and  doubtless  '  shall 
not  return  void'  to  him  who  sent  you  to  China  to  cir- 
culate them,  and  who  assisted  you  to  perform  that 
great  work.     It  must  afford  great  satisfaction  to  you 
to  have  achieved  this,  and  had  your  whole  life  pro- 
duced nothing  else,  you  would  not  have  lived  in  vain. 
Indeed,  it  has  rarely  fallen  to  the  lot  of  any  individual 
to  have  effected  a  work  of  such  magnitude  and  im- 
portance.    I  mention  this,  because  you  say  in  your 
letter  of  March  29,  '  My  harp  has  long  been  suspended 
on  the  willows:'  take  it  down,  my  dear  friend,  and 
prove  that  you  can  '  sing  the  Lord's  song  in  a  strange 
land ;'  and  though  it  be  almost  a  solo  at  present,  I 
trust  that  many  will  hereafter  join  the  song  of  praise, 
who  were  enlightened  and  converted  by  those  holy 
Scriptures  with  which  you  have  furnished  them. 

"  The  Directors  have  paid,  and  will  pay,  all  due  re- 
gard to  your  observations  respecting  the  management 
of  the  College  at  Malacca,  for  they  feel  the  fullest 
confidence  in  you  and  Dr.  Milne ;  and  you  will  per- 


1821.]      raOM  THE  LOinX)K  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY.  115 

ceive  that  they  have  not  been  inattentive  to  its  con- 
cemsy  haying  voted  from  their  own  funds  the  sum  of 
£500,  and  procuied  a  very  respectable  sum  from  other 
quarters,  in  consequence  of  their  circular  letter  for  that 
purpose. 

"Your  various  other  labours  sufficiently  evince 
your  diligence,  and  all  will  contribute,  we  doubt  not, 
to  the  ultimate  promotion  of  that  great  cause  in  which 
we  are  all  embarked.  Your  present  lot  is  that  of  the 
husbandman  (James  v.  7),  who  ^  waiteth  for  the  pre- 
cious fruit  of  the  earth,  and  hath  long  patience  for  it, 
until  he  receive  the  early  and  the  latter  rain/  For  this 
rain  you  and  we  are  praying  and  waiting ;  and  may 
we  not  confidently  hope  that  we  shall  reap  if  we  faint 
noti 

"  You  will  perceive  by  our  publications  what  is  the 
state  and  progress  of  our  society.  The  spiritual  revo- 
lution in  the  South  Sea  Islands  is  truly  wonderful, 
and  there,  brother,  you  see — there,  was  a  waiting  even 
longer  than  yours,  before  the  fruit  appeared ;  at  last 
it  filled  the  reapers'  arms.  We  are  about  to  send  out 
an  additional  missionary,  and  several  mechanics,  &:c., 
to  aid  the  natives  in  the  arts  of  civilization,  and  we 
hope  also  to  send  out,  at  the  same  time,  a  deputation 
to  inspect  the  whole  concern,  spiritual  and  tem- 
poral. 

**  We  expect  shortly  the  return  of  Mr.  Campbell 
from  South  Africa.  He  has  made  important  discove- 
ries in  his  journey  of  250  miles  N.  E.  of  Lattakoo. 

"  The  work  is  silently  progressing  in  India.  We 
cannot  but  hope  that  the  altars  of  the  idols  begin  to 
totter,  and  that  ere  long  many  will  become  obedient 
to  the  faith. 

"  Our  funds  continue  to  be  supported,  notwithstand- 
ing the  pecuniary  pressure  of  the  times,  and  we  trust 

I  2 


\ 


116  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1821. 

we  may  still  say,  ^  The  Lord  of  Hosts  is  with  us,  and 
the  God  of  Jacob  is  our  refuge.^ 

"  With  every  good  wish,  and  sincere  prayer  for  your 
life,  health,  domestic  comfort,  and  public  usefulness, 

"  I  am.  Dear  Sir,  for  the  Directors, 
"  Your  faithful  and  affectionate  Brother, 
(Signed)  "  George  Burder,  Secretary." 

AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY,  AT  A  MEETING  OF  THE  MANAGERS. 

"  New  York,  26th  April,  1821. 

"  Resolved — ^That  a  copy  of  the  best  edition  of  the 
oi»,tavo  Bible,  in  splendid  binding,  published  by  this 
Society,  be  sent  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison,  of  Canton, 
as  an  expression  of  the  esteem  of  the  American  Bible 
Society,  and  of  their  high  approbation  of  the  eminent 
services  rendered  by  that  gentleman,  particularly  in 
translating  and  publishing  the  Scriptures  in  the 
Chinese  language. 

"  Extract  from  the  Minutes. 

"John  Rutard,  Recording  Secretary." 

FROM  THE  AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY  TO  THE 

REV.  DR.  MORRISON. 

*•  New  York,  May  let,  1821. 

"  Rev.  and  Dear  Sir, 

"  As  the  organ  of  the  American  Bible  Society  in 
their  foreign  relations  and  correspondence,  I  have 
great  pleasure  in  communicating  to  you  a  Resolution 
of  its  Board  of  Managers,  expressive  of  their  high  ap- 
probation of  the  eminent  ^services  you  have  rendered 
to  the  cause  of  Christ,  especially  in  the  translation  and 
publication  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures  into  the  Chinese 
language,  and  in  presenting  you  with  the  small  token 
of  respect  mentioned  in  the  Resolution. 

"  You  have  fearlessly  gone  forward  in  an  untrodden 


1821.]  FROM  THE  REV.  H.  BINGHAM.  11 

path,  and,  regardless  of  its  difficulties,  have  accom- 
pliflhed  an  undertaking  for  which  future  generations 
will  rise  up  and  call  you  blessed. 

^  The  incalculable  good  which,  with  the  blessing  of 
Heaven,  may  be  expected  to  result  from  your  pious 
labours,  is  a  cause  of  unspeakable  gratitude  to  that 
God  who  incited  you  to  their  commencemeut,  and 
has  given  you  protracted  days,  and  health,  and  anima- 
tion enabling  you  to  bring  them  to  so  successful  an 
issue. 

"  May  you  live  to  witness  the  fruit  of  your  toils 
in  the  conversion  of  many  a  benighted  heathen  to  the 
faith  of  Jesus,  and,  with  other  faithful  servants  of  the 
Most  High,  honoured  as  his  instruments  in  turning 
many  to  righteousness,  may  you  shine  forth  in  the 
kingdom  of  our  heavenly  Father  as  the  brightness  of 
the  firmament,  and  as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever. 

"  Permit  me  only  to  subjoin  the  personal  gratifica- 
tion I  have  felt  in  uniting  with  my  brethren  in  their 
feelings  on  this  occasion,  and  to  assure  you,  that 
I  am,  with  great  respect,  your  obedient  servant,  and 

fiuthful  Brother  in  Christ, 

^^  James  Milnor, 

*'  Secretary  for  Foreign  Correspondence  of  the 

American  Bible  Society." 

FROM  THE  REV.  H.  BINGHAM. 

«  Rbv.  and  Dear  Sir,  ''  Atooi,Oct.  13, 1821. 

"By  the  politeness  of  Capt.  S.  Hill,  who  has  just 
kindlj  presented  me  with  several  specimens  of  the 
firuit  of  your  arduous  labours  in  China,  I  have  the 
opportunity  to  send  you  a  line,  to  thank  you  for  your 
successftd  efforts  to  scatter  important  intelligence  over 
the  world,  and  to  diffuse  light  in  the  dark  regions  of 
paganism,  the  shadow  of  death. 

"I  am  pleased  with  this  opportunity  to  see  more 


118  COBRBSPONDSNCE.  [1821. 

clearly  than  before,  how  vast  the  field  of  usefiilness, 
which  lies  open  to  invite  your  activity  and  zeal.  The 
Lord  bless  you  in  every  good  work  which  you  have 
begun. 

"  I  took  the  liberty,  not  long  since,  to  introduce 
myself  to  you,  and  to  make  you  acquainted  with  the 
arrival,  establishment,  and  prospects  of  the  mission  in 
these  islands,  with  which  I  have  the  happiness  to  be 
connected.  I  ventured  also,  with  a  desire  to  aid  this 
object,  to  request  a  correspondence,  should  other  duties 
in  the  cause  of  the  Redeemer  allow  you  to  do  us  the 
favour.     Of  this  you  can  judge  better  than  we. 

"  Should  you  be  able  to  write,  your  advice  would 
be  valued  on  every  point  relative  to  the  nature  and 
objects  of  our  mission,  which  embraces  the  difficult 
work  of  reducing  an  unwritten  language  to  a  written 
form,  enlightening,  purifying,  civilizing,  evangelizing, 
and  redeeming  from  wretchedness  and  ruin  the  Sand- 
wich Islanders,  and  others  connected  with  them. 

"  Intelligence  from  your  quarter  will  also  be  valued 
by  us  in  our  insulated  and  retired  situation.  You 
will  pardon  me,  dear  Sir,  for  the  freedom  with  which 
I  have  solicited  your  aid.  Our  distance  from  every 
substantial  help,  but  that  of  Him  who  is  omnipresent, 
is  my  apology. 

"  Probably  a  single  opportunity  for  you  to  com- 
municate with  us,  will  occur  soon,  as  Capt.  Meek,  of 
the  American  brig  '  Arab,*  has  proposed  to  go  down 
from  these  Islands  to  Canton,  and  to  return  here 
shortly.  Other  opportunities  may  occur,  of  which  I 
have  no  knowledge.  Wishing  you  all  desirable  success, 

"  I  am.  Dear  Sir, 

"  With  high  esteem,  your's, 

^^  H.  BmoHAM,  Missionary.'^ 


1821.]  !»  DR.  MORRISON.  119 

FBOH  THB  GOVERNOR  OF  PORT  OF  ST.  PETER  AND   ST.  PAUL 

TO  THE  REV.  DR.  MORRISON. 

'' KamUchatka,  October  25th,  1821. 

"  Reverend  Sir, 

"  My  respected  friend  CJolonel  Dobell,  on  his  happy 
arrival  at  this  place,  has  presented  to  me  a  chest  of 
religious  books  from  your  name. 

"  I  embrace  the  first  opportunity  to  express  to  you 
my  sentiments  of  gratitude  for  such  a  mark  of  Chris- 
tian attention  to  your  fellow-creatures  in  this  remote 
comer  of  the  world,  where,  for  want  of  rational  amuse- 
ments, the  edifying  volumes  which  you  have  been 
pleased  to  send  us,  cannot  be  too  much  appreciated, 
although  I  am  sorry  to  say,  few  individuals,  for  want 
of  understanding  the  English  langus^e,  can  benefit  by 
it;  but  I  hope  the  time  is  not  far  ofi*  when  the  English 
language  will  be  more  familiar  here,  as  I  have  already 
established  a  school  for  the  poor  clergymen's  children ; 
and  intend  to  request  our  government  for  an  appoint- 
ment of  an  English  schoolmaster;  for  I  consider,  ac- 
cording to  the  situation  of  this  place,  studying  the 
English  language  more  useful  to  the  clergy  here  than 
the  Latin. 

"  I  feel  a  particular  satisfaction  to  tell  you.  Sir,  that 
the  little  volume  of  *  Familiar  Lectures  on  the  Epistle 
of  St.  Paul  to  the  Philippians,'  is  annexed  to  the  few 
selected  religious  books  which  I  read  together  with 
my  wife  on  Sundays. 

"  I  have  the  honour  to  remain,  Reverend  Sir, 
"  Your  much  obliged  and  afiectionate  Servant, 

"  Petror  Rickords. 

"  P.  S.  The  religious  books  in  the  Chinese  character, 
I  will  endeavour  to  forward  by  the  means  of  our 
Kouriles  to  Japan,  as  I  judge  this  to  be  your  object." 


120  CORRfiSPONDENCK.  [1821. 

FROM  ROBERT  RALSTON,  ESQ.»  TO  THE  REV.  DR.  MORRISON* 

«« PhUadelphia,  Sept  28th,  1821. 

"  My  Dear  Friend, 

^^  A  length  of  time  has  elapsed  since  I  have  had  the 
pleasure  of  a  line,  the  last  letter  from  you  being  dated 
April  1820.  Since  then  I  have  had  the  pleasure  to 
learn  that  Mrs.  Morrison,  with  your  dear  children,  had 
arrived  in  safety  at  Macao,  and  on  which  I  offer  my 
sincere  congratulation.  If  it  shall  please  the  Lord  to 
permit  your  dear  companion  to  remain  with  you,  it 
would  be  a  great  blessing,  and  would  rejoice  my 
heart;  to  her  be  pleased  to  present  my  most  respect- 
ful  regards. 

"The  Anglo-Chinese  College  which,  under  the 
divine  blessing,  you  have  been  made  instrumental 
in  founding  and  rearing  for  the  instruction  of  native 
youth,  I  also  learn,  with  great  pleasure,  has  been  so 
far  completed,  as  to  admit  of  some  of  the  apartments 
being  in  use :  on  this  also  I  beg  leave  to  unite  with 
you  in  praising  the  Lord. 

"  But  the  Lord  has  crowned  your  endeavours,  in 
conjunction  with  your  worthy  coadjutor  Dr.  Milne,  to 
complete  a  Translation  in  Chinese  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures :  here  then  is  cause  of  great  rejoicing ;  your  priva- 
tions and  labour  of  love  have  not  been  in  vain  in  the 
Lord,  and  I  humbly  trust  you  are  both  to  be  blest  in 
seeing  an  extensive  circulation  of  the  sacred  volume 
through  the  millions  of  China. 

"  In  the  United  States  the  cause  of  missions,  par- 
ticularly to  the  aborigines  of  the  country,  does  not 
abate,  nor  the  Bible  cause  slacken  :  new  societies  are 
constantly  forming,  and  the  attention  to  Sabbath- 
school  instruction  every  where  increasing.  It  may  be 
well  said  that  the  Lord  is  making  bare  his  almighty 


1821.]      FBOM  THE  BOARD  OF  FOREIGN  MISSIONS.  121 

arm,  and  riding  forth  in  the  chariot  of  his  everiasting 
gospel,  conquering  and  to  conquer.  A  few  pamphlets 
will  accompany  this,  giving  a  very  partial  and  limited 
?iew  of  the  progress  of  some  of  those  institutions. 

^  Since  I  last  had  the  pleasure  to  address  you,  the 
dear  companion  of  my  life  has  been  removed  by  death : 
from  a  scene  of  the  most  active  benevolence,  she  was 
taken,  I  trust,  to  her  heavenly  rest.  Few  of  her  sex 
have  been  permitted  to  do  more  in  this  vicinity  to 
ameliorate  the  sufferings  of  the  widow  and  the  orphan. 
Through  her  instrumentality,  with  other  dear  Christian 
sisters,  two  large  brick  buildings  have  been  erected 
for  the  reception  and  care  of  fatherless  and  motherless 
children,  and  the  s^ed  widows,  &c.,  into  one  of  which 
the  admissions  keep  up  to  an  average  of  about  ninety, 
and  the  other  has  had  between  thirty  and  forty  aged 
destitute  females,  who  for  the  most  part  have  lived  in 
comfortable  circumstances,  but  outlived  their  means 
and  their  friends. 

"  My  Dear  Sir, 
"  Your  assured  and  very  sincere  Friend, 

"  Robert  Ralstton." 

from  the  board  of  foreign  missions. 

<'  Boston,  United  States  of  America^ 
'-        «Rbv.  Sir,  "  May  I5th,  1821. 

"  Your  favour  of  December  10th,  addressed  to  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Worcester,  came  into  my  hands,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  absence  of  the  excellent  person  to  whom 
it  was  addressed,  on  a  voyage  for  the  benefit  of  his 
health,  and  for  the  sake  of  visiting  our  missions  among 
the  aborigines  of  our  country.  We  have  reason  to 
think  his  valuable  life  may  be  near  its  close,  though 
we  are  not  without  hopes  of  his  prolonged  usefulness. 


122  CORRESPONDENCE.  [182 1  • 

In  view  of  his  removal  from  the  world  we  are  dis- 
tressed at  the  thought  of  the  loss  which  the  mission- 
ary cause  will  experience ;  a  loss,  which  we  see  not 
how  can  be  repaired.  One  thing  we  know,  however, 
which  ought  continually  to  rejoice  our  hearts,  and 
that  is,  that  the  glorious  Lord  of  missions  will  employ 
such  instruments  as  he  sees  fit  and  best,  for  the 
extension  of  his  kingdom,  and  the  promotion  of  his 
glory. 

"  We  praise  God  that  you  have  been  enabled  to  do 
so  much  for  the  honour  of  his  name,  and  that  you 
have  received  such  valuable  associates  as  Messrs.  Milne 
and  Medhurst.  May  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  send 
forth  many  such  labourers. 

"  We  thank  you  for  the  numbers  of  the  *  Gleaner.* 
Facki^es  sent  to  me  by  Boston  ships  will  always 
arrive  safely,  and  I  can  communicate  them  to  our 
Secretary  immediately. 

^^  I  send  you  our  last  Report,  and  several  other 
pamphlets,  and  a  volume  of  the  ^  FanopUst,*  as  a  token 
of  respect  and  affection. 

"  We  are  particularly  grateful  to  you  for  the  trans- 
lation which  you  sent  us  from  a  Chinese  newspaper. 
Any  future  favours  of  this  kind  will  be  gratefully 
received,  and  may  be  useful  in  attracting  the  atten- 
tion of  Christians  to  the  moral  condition  of  China, 
and  in  prompting  their  prayers  for  the  gracious  in- 
fluences of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

"  I  am.  Rev.  Sir,  with  sentiments  of  great  respect 
and  affection,  your  unknown  Friend, 

^^  Joseph  Evarts, 

'*  Treasurer  of  the  American  Board  of 
Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions." 


1821.]         FROM  THE  REV.  W.  MILNE.  123 


TO  THE  REV.  DR.  MORRISON. 


Anglo-Chinese  College,  July  19th,  1821. 

"  My  Dear  Robert, 

"  1st.  Your  letters  from  Mr.  Tavar,  M.  Remusat,  and 
St.  Helena,  I  have  read :  they  must  of  course  be  grati- 
fying to  you,  as  they  show  that  God  makes  you  both 
useful  and  honoured :  in  this  light  I  value  them  greatly 
also.  Remusat  seems  to  be  a  man  of  very  extensive 
learning. 

"3rd.  I  send  for  your  perusal  all  the  numbers  I 
have  got  of  the  *  Friend  of  India,'  as  you  express  a 
wish  to  see  it.  Last  opportunity  I  sent  you  a  *  Gospel 
Mi^azine,*  in  Bengallee,  begun  by  our  brethren  in  Cal- 
cutta. This  is  the  third  native  Magazine  in  India. 
Our  *  Chinese  Magazine'  first  rose — next  the  ^Digdur- 
shun,'  by  the  Baptists,  and  thirdly,  the  *  Gospel  Maga- 
zine.' You  will  see  I  am  vain  enough  to  think  that 
our  humble  effort  in  this  way  has  led  the  way,  and 
probably  elicited  the  idea  of  the  other. 

"  4th.  The  idea  of  the  Dispensary  is,  I  think,  a  good 
one,  but  I  have  myself  no  knowledge  of  medicine, 
and  no  time  to  acquire  it :  still,  if  good  be  likely  to  be 

done,  we  can  hire  a  native  at  a  small  monthly  sum. 

«  «  «  *  « 

"  8th.  *  To  consecrate  all  to  the  cross  of  Christ.' 
This  is  a  noble  resolution :  the  Lord  strengthen  you  to 
fulfil  it,  and  enable  me  also  thus  to  act.         *        * 

"  14th.  Whatever  books  or  other  articles  you  send 
for  the  College,  be  sure  either  to  mark  them  as  such, 
or  specify  it  in  your  letter,  lest  there  be  any  suspicion 
entertained  (as  has  often  been)  of  my  putting  more  to 
it  than  ought  to  be  put.  •        #        •        ♦ 


124  CORRESPONDENCB.  [1821. 

FROM  THE  jSAME. 
''Anglo-Chinese  College,  Sept.  26th,  1821. 

'^  Mt  Dear  Robert, 

'^  I  am  just  able  to  write  you  a  line,  and  that  is 
nearly  all.  I  have  been  laid  by  for  nearly  a  week, 
with  a  bad  cough,  pain  in  the  head,  and  tightness  and 
pain  at  the  pit  of  the  stomach,  and  in  the  region  of 
the  liver.  The  cough  is  softened  a  little,  but  not  gone. 
By  application  of  leeches  to  the  head,  the  pain  there 
and  in  the  throat  is  nearly  gone.  I  am  now  labouring 
under  the  effects  of  a  large  blister,  applied  to  the  pit  of 
the  stomach,  and  towards  the  right  side,  where  the 
affection  chiefly  lies.  I  have  not  been  able  to  call 
on  any  of  the  gentlemen,  &c.,  who  go  by  the  '  Harris* 
and  ^  Kyd,'  nor  have  I  yet  seen  any  of  them  except  a 
Dr.  Jackson,  a  young  surgeon  on  the  Bengal  Esta- 
blishment, who  kindly  gave  me  his  advice  (for  we 
have  no  confidence  in  the  government  surgeon  here). 
I  am  upon  the  whole  better,  except  weak  and  faint 
through  the  severe  applications. 

'^  Mr.  Jackson  strongly  recommends  a  sea  voyage, 
as  the  most  speedy  and  certain  cure.  This  I  am  also 
inclined  to  believe  would  restore  me  ;  but  alas!  how 
can  I  undertake  it  1  Who  will  carry  on  the  work  1 
The  printing  would  not  stop  for  six  months,  but  then 
there  is  the  College,  in  which,  including  Europeans 
and  Chinese,  are  now  eleven  Students. — ^The  *  Gleaner' 
also,  and  I  know  not  what  else.  I  must  try  to  weather 
it,  I  suppose,  or  else  take  a  short  trip  to  Singapore, 
which  Drs.  Allien  and  Jackson,  who  have  botib  been 
since  I  wrote  the  above,  most  strongly  recommend. 

'^  Excuse  this  short  note.  The  Lord  in  whose  hands 
we  are,  fit  us  for  his  blessed  will,  and  make  either  life 


1821.]  FROM  DR.  MAESS.  125 

or  death  welcome.  The  children  are  well.  Best  wishes 
to  Mary  and  the  children. 

"  Ever  your's, 

"  W.  Milne." 

FROM  DR.  MAESE. 
**  Rev.  Sir,  "  Philadelphia,  December  15th,  1820. 

**  Every  "one  attentive  to  the  welfare  of  mankind, 
in  the  United  States,  sees  or  hears  with  pleasure  of 
your  useful  and  well-meant  labours,  and  most  heartily 
wishes  you  all  imaginable  success.  But,  my  good  Sir, 
what  a  task  you  have  imposed  on  yourself !  what 
mountains  of  prejudice  have  you  not  to  overcome ! 
what  benighted  intellects  have  you  to  contend  with  ! 
The  very  thoughts  of  these  obstacles  to  the  success  of 
your  pious  exertions,  would  be  sufficient  to  appal  a 
common  mind.  God  grant  you  life  and  health  to 
continue  the  glorious  work.  You  will  learn  with 
pleasure  that  the  cause  of  missions  is  attended  to 
with  much  zeal  in  the  United  States.  Episcopalians, 
Presbjrterians,  Baptists,  and  Quakers,  all  are  engaged 
in  the  good  work  ;  and  the  sums  annually  expended 
upon  it,  would  do  credit  to  any  country  even  more 
wealthy  than  the  United  States. 

"  The  American  Bible  Society,  which  has  its  head 
quarters  at  New  York,  receive  from  4000  to  5000  dollars 
every  month  for  Bibles  sold,  and  for  voluntary  sub- 
scriptions to  its  funds.  I  know  this  from  the  monthly 
publications  of  the  Treasurer.  The  cause  of  religion 
generally  flourishes  in  the  United  States,  without 
bigotry  or  superstition  ;  and,  as  no  one  sect  is  particu- 
larly patronised  by  the  government  of  any  state,  or 
by  the  General  Government,  all  reaction  in  the  mind 
is  prevented,  and  different  sects  harmonise  upon  all 
occasions.     This  much  I  thought  would  be  gratifying 


126  C0RRE8P0NDENCB.  [1821. 

to  you,  as  connected  with  the  great  object  in  which 
you  yourself  are  engaged. 

"  The  singular  prejudice  of  the  Chinese  in  favour 
of  the  Gensang  root  as  a  restorative  and  catholicon, 
is  viewed  by  medical  men  in  Europe  and  America  as 
without  any  real  foundation.  My  own  experiments 
with  a  strong  infusion  of  that  root  convince  me 
that  it  possesses  no  obvious  powers  on  the  human 
body.  But  it  would  be  very  gratifying  to  know  the 
opinions  of  one  or  two  Chinese  physicians^  of  the 
virtues  of  that  famous  root,  and  the  particular  diseases 
in  which  they  prescribe  it ;  the  mode  of  its  operation, 
&c.  If  you  have  it  in  your  power  to  procure  such  an 
account,  and  will  take  that  trouble,  you  will  confer  a 
great  favour  upon  me.  I  should  wish  to  have  it  lite- 
rally translated,  and  the  originals  sent  with  your 
version.  If  not  too  troublesome,  it  would  be  well  to 
have  the  opinion  of  two,  in  order  to  see  how  far  they 
agree,  and  whether  there  is  any  consistency  of  theory 
respecting  the  plant  among  the  Chinese  faculty. 

"  I  am,  with  sincerest  wishes  for  your  health,  pros- 
perity, and  success, 

"  Your  Friend, 

"  James  Mease,  M.  D." 

from  the  rev.  w.  jenks. 
"  Reverend  Sir,  "  Boston,  May  15th,  1821. 

"  Having  shared  with  others  in  the  intelligence  com- 
municated by  your  letter  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Worcester, 
of  December  10th,  1820,  and  a  yery  favourable  oppor- 
tunity of  sending  to  Canton  occurring,  I  have  ventured 
to  put  into  effect  a  long-suppressed  resolution,  and  to 
address  you  by  a  letter. 

"  Your  late  correspondent,  my  much-valued  friend. 
Dr.  M^Kean,  is,  you  may  have  heard,  no  more  among 


t.« 


1821.]  FROM  THE  REV.  W.  JENKS.  127 

the  livings  or  rather,  to  use  the  remark  of  our  pious 
Dr.  Cotton  Mather,  ^he  has  ceased  to  dwell  among 
the  dead,  and  has  gone  to  the  assembly  of  the  living/ 
He  was  beginning  to  pay  some  attention  to  the  Chinese 
language,  having  obtained,  through  your  kindness, 
the  New  Testament,  and  several  small  tracts.  The 
Testament  went  into  the  hands  of  my  aged  and  worthy 
friend,  and  your  correspondent.  Judge  Winthrop  of 
Cambridge,  and  the  tracts  mostly  into  mine. 

**  My  feelings  have  long  been  excited  toward  China. 
By  the  vessel  which  takes  this,  I  have  sent,  as  an 
experiment,  a  Chinese  letter  to  a  young  merchant  at 
Canton,  in  order  to  procure  books.  My  request  was, 
to  be  furnished  with  some  of  the  ancient  classical 
works,  in  order  to  make  myself  somewhat  acquainted, 
if  practicable,  with  Chinese  literature ;  but  my  chief 
design  was  to  commence  a  correspondence  to  be 
tamed  to  the  best  purpose  ultimately,  if  such  turn 
might  be  given. 

**  China  must  be  indeed,  as  you,  Sir,  remark,  *  a 
land  of  darkness  and  of  the  shadow  of  death.'  We 
feel  anxious  to  know  the  result  of  Ying-ho's  applica- 
tion. If  the  Emperor  should  ^  follow  his  father's  way,' 
then,  indeed,  the  shadows  may  seem  to  darken  still 
more.  But  I  cannot  relinquish  the  hope  that  China 
wiD  yet,  even  in  our  day,  receive  light.  May  the 
great  Head  of  the  church  strengthen  your  hands,  and 
encourage  your  heart! 

"  To  have  completed  the  translation  of  the  whole 
word  of  God  into  that  language,  which  we  are  in- 
formed you,  with  your  Rev.  colleague,  Mr.  Milne, 
had  the  happiness  to  eiFect  on  the  25th  of  November, 
1819,  is  worth  the  toil  of  a  life,  and  a  rich  mercy,  de- 
serving all  gratitude  and  praise  to  God.     How  far  the 


128  GOBRBSPONBBNCE*  [1821. 

printing  is  advanced  I  know  not.  But  may  I  ask  for 
the  favour  of  what  is  printed,  both  of  the  Old  and 
New  Testament  1  Whatever  expense  attends,  I  will 
cheerfully  pay.  In  addition  to  this  favour,  may  I  ask 
a  copy  of  the  Tracts,  which  may  assist  a  learner  1  As 
these  are  distributed  so  often  gratis,  I  trust  the  liberty 
of  the  request  will  be  indulged.  And  my  motive  is 
not  altogether  personal  or  selfish,  for  there  is  a  Chinese 
native  here,  who  is  now  reading  my  copy  of  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Milne's  Catechism,  and  who  tells  me,  when  he  has 
done,  that  he  must  have  more  books.  He  also  has  two 
companions  with  him,  and  I  cannot  but  hope  some 
good  may  be  done  them  before  they  return  :  at  least 
I  shall  try,  and  may  the  Lord  bless. 

"  It  may  be  of  use  to  know  that  we  have  now  access 
to  the  large  Chinese  Dictionary  printed  at  Paris  in 
1813,  by  De  Guignes,  and  to  the  Grammar  of  Dr. 
Marshman,  as  well  as  that  which  you.  Sir,  have  given 
the  public,  of  which  a  copy  is  in  the  library  of  Harvard 
(Cambridge)  University,  the  very  copy  that  was  Dr. 
M^Kean's. 

^^  May  I  ask  the  favour  of  a  line  in  reference  to  the 
great  missionary  objects — ^but  more  especially  in  re- 
lation to  China  and  Japan  1  Not  long  since,  a  doubt 
was  suggested  whether  the  Chinese  translations  would 
answer  for  the  Japanese.  May  I  ask  if  the  fact  be 
ascertained  ?  If  access  could  be  had  to  the  Loo-choo 
islands,  or  to  Corea,  or  Cochin- China,  it  would  seem 
the  inhabitants  are  able  to  read  Chinese.  Japanese 
books  are,  I  presume,  procurable. 

"  We  have  had,  as  you  Avill  perceive  by  the  numbers 
of  the  *  Missionary  Herald,'  which  my  excellent  neigh- 
bour and  friend  Mr.  Evarts  sends,  the  most  agreeable 
intelligence  from  the  Sandwich  Islands  Mission.  The 
idols  are   abolished,   and   the   missionaries   (for  the 


1821.]  FROM  THE  EARL  OF  AMHERST.  129 

present^  at  least)  cordially  welcomed  and  established. 
To  the  Lord  be  the  praise ! 

**  Beseeching  God  to  continue  to  you  his  holy  pro- 
tection,  and  to  make  you  a  rich  blessing  to  the  millions 
of  China,  and  asking  an  interest  in  your  prayers^ 

"  I  am,  Reverend  Sir, 
"  Your  friend  and  fellow-labourer  in  Christ, 

"  William  Jei^ks, 

"  Secretary  of  the  Foreign  Missionary  Society, 
and  of  the  Marine  Bible  Society  of  Boston,  &c." 

The  following  letters  from  members  of  the  late 
British  Embassy  to  China,  verify  a  remark  frequently 
made — ^that  it  was  by  those  who  had  opportunities  of 
most  intimate  intercourse  with  Dr.  Morrison,  he  was 
most  cordially  esteemed ;  and,  perhaps,  no  situation 
could  be  a  greater  test  of  character  than  that  in  which 
he  was  placed  in  respect  to  the  writers  of  these  letters. 

FROM  THE  EARL  OF  AMHERST  TO  DR.  MORRISON. 
"  Dear  Sm,  "  Grosvenor  St.,  April  15th,  1821 . 

**  I  had  very  great  pleasure  in  receiving,  three  days 
i^o,  your  letter  of  the  28th  of  November,  and  I  return 
you  my  best  thanks  for  the  news  you  send  me  of  my 
Chinese  acquaintance. 

'^  I  cannot  help  thinking  that  the  appointment  of 
the  legate  Kwang  to  the  situation  of  Hoppo  at  Canton, 
may  be  both  advantageous  to  our  commercial  inter- 
ests, and  agreeable  to  those  of  our  countrjonen  who 
may  be  called  upon  to  have  any  dealings  with  him. 
I  am  willing  to  flatter  myself  that  his  intercourse  with 
the  late  embassy  may  have  given  him  a  more  favour- 
able opinion  of  our  country,  and  may  have  inspired 
him  with  a  greater  interest  in  the  relations  between 
China  and  Great  Britain,  than  is  usually  entertained 
by  the  subjects  of  the  Celestial  Empire.  If  you  should 

Vol.  u.  k 


130  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1821. 

ever  have  the  opportunity,  I  beg  you  to  remember  me 
kindly  to  him,  and  to  say  that  I  hope  we  enjoy  each 
other's  friendship,  though  at  the  distance  of  50,000 
le;  and,  moreover,  that  if  the  Emperor  will  but 
send  him  ambassador  to  England,  I  will  endeavour  to 
get  appointed  *  Kin-chae,*  and  as  royal  legate,  I  will 
take  the  best  care  of  him  I  can. 

"  In  return  for  your  Chinese  news,  I  am  bound  to 
send  you  some  account  of  your  late  associates.  Mr. 
Ellis  has  been  for  some  time  at  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope  ;  and  I  hear  a  good  account  of  his  health  from 
young  Mr.  Somerset,  who  is  lately  arrived  in  England. 
Mr.  Hayne,  from  whom  I  received  a  letter  a  day  or 
two  ago,  is  at  Rio  Janeiro,  in  the  capacity  of  Commis- 
sary Judge,  under  our  late  treaties  with  Portugal  and 
the  Netherlands.  Mr.  Griffith  was  in  London  last 
week,  in  excellent  health,  and  is  now  returned  to  his 
duties  at  Cambridge.  Mr.  Abel  is  following  his  pro- 
fession very  successfully  at  Brighton.  Dr.  Lynn  is, 
I  believe,  in  good  healthy  in  his  native  county  of 
Suffolk.  Of  Mr.  Havell,  I  have  heard  nothing  since 
we  parted  at  Manilla.  My  eldest  son,  about  whom 
you  so  kindly  enquire,  is  with  his  regiment,  the  Rifle 
Brigade,  at  Armagh,  in  Ireland,  and  has  conmienced 
his  military  career  very  much  to  my  satisfaction.  I 
shall  certainly  transmit  to  him,  in  your  own  words^ 
the  good  wishes  you  form  for  his  future  welfare. 
"  I  beg  you  to  believe  me,  with  great  esteem, 

"  Dear  Sir,  yours  very  faithfully, 

"  Amherst." 

FROM  sir  GEORGE  T.  STAUNTON,  BART.,  TO  DR.  MORRISON. 
"  My  Dear  Sir,  "  PorUand  Place,  April  1 5th,  1 82 1 . 

"  Within  these  few  days  I  have  had  the  pleasure  of 
receiving  your  letter  of  the  13th  of  November,  and  also 


„* 


1821.]         FROM  SIR  GEORGE  T.  STAUNTON^  BART.  131 

from  Urmston  copies  of  your  interesting  translations  of 
the  official  documents  on  the  accession  of  the  new  Em- 
peror. I  assure  you  I  continue  to  take  a  lively  interest 
in  the  events  which  take  place  in  a  country  where  I  have 
spent  so  material  a  portion  of  my  life,  and  feel  much 
obliged  by  your  kindly  sparing  me,  now  and  then,  a 
few  moments  of  your  time.  My  friends  Barrow,  Lord 
Amherst,  Marsden,  &c.,  have  read  with  much  interest 
your  translation  of  the  Edicts,  and  unite  with  me  in 
hoping  that  the  conduct  of  *  Reason's  Glory,'  may 
prorve,  if  not  more  glorious,  at  least  more  rational,  than 
that  of  his  predecessor  was  in  some  notable  instances. 
As  to  the  personal  character  of  the  individual,  perhaps 
I  am  prejudiced,  but  I  think  the  change  cannot  pos- 
sibly be  for  the  worse. 

"  You  will  perceive  that  my  little  volume  of  Transla- 
tions is  at  length  published.  I  have  sent  four  copies 
of  it  under  cover  to  the  Managers  of  the  Canton 
Library,  of  one  of  which  I  request  your  kind  accept- 
ance. As  I  have  long  since  wholly  abandoned  my 
Chinese  pursuits,  I  have  merely  prepared  for  publica- 
tion, and  illustrated  with  a  preface  and  a  few  notes,  a 
selection  from  my  old  Translations.  As  they  are  rather 
more  readable  than  the  *  Leu  Lee,'  and  as  I  have  not 
ventured  to  print  more  than  350  copies,  I  trust  it  will 
not  prove  quite  a  drug  in  the  market,  but  there  is 
certainly  no  great  encouragement  here  for  Chinese 
literary  labours.  You  must  not,  however,  be  dis- 
heartened by  this  circumstance  ;  you  are  certainly  the 
first  in  this  field,  and  if  I  ever  possessed  the  palm,  I 
certainly  with  pleasure  resign  it  to  you.  Your  Chi- 
nese Dictionary,  and  other  valuable  works,  will  esta- 
blish your  literary  reputation  on  an  imperishable 
basis  with  all  those  whose  good  opinion  is  worth 
possessing. 

K  2 


132  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1821. 

"  Your  success  in  your  higher  and  primary  pursuit 
will  give  you  more  solid  gratification.  You  have 
a  large  field  for  Christian  instruction  amongst  the 
Chinese,  without  interfering  at  all  with  the  great 
Taou-quang's  subjects.  A  copy  of  your  translation  of 
the  Prayer-Book  has  been  sent  me  by  the  Prayer-Book 
and  Homily  Society,  and  seems  to  me  very  good, 
as  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  look  at  it,  or  judge  of  it. 

^^  A  question,  in  some  degree  religious  as  well  as 
political,  has  engaged  us  lately  a  good  deal  in  Parlia- 
ment ;  I  mean  what  is  called  the  Emancipation  of  the 
Catholics.  I  do  not  know  whether  you  will  approve 
of  the  line  of  conduct  which  I  have  adopted,  which  is 
that  of  giving  it  throughout,  my  humble  but  decided 
support ;  but  I  have  acted  under  a  very  strong  im- 
pression, that  by  removing  the  remaining  disabilities 
under  which  the  Catholics  labour,  while  on  the  other 
hand,  we  place  their  clergy  and  communication  with 
Rome,  under  that  wholesome  control  which  has  been 
hitherto  unaccountably  neglected,  we  shall  strengthen, 
instead  of  weakening,  our  invaluable  Protestant  Con- 
stitution as  by  law  established. 

The  general  state  of  public  affairs  seems  to  me  on 
the  whole  in  the  course  of  improvement,  though  our 
domestic  difficulties,  especially  that  of  the  agricultural 
interest,  are  considerable.  The  ferment  respecting 
the  Queen  has  wholly  subsided,  certainly  never  was 
popular  delusion  carried  before  to  such  a  length  of 
folly  and  absurdity  ;  but  the  moral  sense  of  the 
country  though  perverted  for  the  time,  was  happily 
not  extinguished. 

"Believe  me,   my  dear  Sir,  with   sincerest  good 

wishes, 

"  Very  faithfully  your's, 

"  Qeorge  Thomas  Staunton." 


1821.] 


PROM    THE    HON.    J.    IIAYNE, 


^■Quee 


PROM  THE  HON.  J.  HAYNE,  JUDGE  OP  RIO  DE  JANEIRO. 

"  My  Dear  Ma  Laouya,*  '"  Feb.  3rd,  I82l. 

*'  It  is  an  age  since  I  heard  any  thing  of  you,  aod 
moat  probably  you  would  return  me  the  Bame  compli- 
ment; therefore  it  would  be  unpardonable  in  me  to 
omit  writing  to  some  of  my  friends  at  Canton  by  this 
opportunity,  more  particularly  as  it  will  give  me  a 
chance  of  liearing  something  of  you  all  by  the  return 
of  the  same  vessel. 

*'  You  may  or  may  not  have  heard  of  my  having 
been  appointed  His  Britannic  Majesty's  Commissary 
Jndge,  in  a  mixed  commission  established  at  this  place 
for  the  suppression  of  illicit  slave  trade ;  whether  or 
uo,  here  I  am,  and  have  been  these  eighteen  months, 
and  how  much  longer  to  remain  I  know  not.  As 
there  are  now  and  then  opportunities  of  communi- 
cating direct  between  this  and  Macao,  1  hope  you  will 
drop  me  a  line,  inforuiing  me  how  you  are  treated  by 
the  Chinamen,  and  how  you  all  arc.  Just  before  I 
left  England,  I  made  a  most  delightful  tour  on  the 
Continent  with  onr  amiable  and  excellent  friend,  Sir 
Geoi^e  Staunton,  whose  health  I  think  was  improved 
by  the  change  of  air  and  scene — I  hope  it  has  con- 
linned  to  mend.  I  heard  a  few  days  ago  from  Lord 
lerst,  who  was  in  very  good  health,  and  frill  of 
lUsiness  in  Committeq^on  that  unhappy  affair  of  the 
Queen's,  which  I  am  most  happy  to  say  has  at  length 
terminated,  and  I  hope  in  the  manner  the  least  likely 
to  create  internal  commotion,  for  which,  only  a  pre- 


M»  Laouya,  Ma  U  the  first  sjUable  of  Dr.  Morrison's  name, 
id  was  that  by  which  he  was  generally  addressed  by  the  ChJDese, 
ropptng  the  other  syllables,  which  is  commonly  done  witli  Eiiro- 
>an  iiAroea.  Laoui/a, '  Venerable  Father,'  is  a.  title  of  respect 
[bat  is  applied  to  all  the  higher  officers  of  the  goveminenl.* 


134  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1 82 1 . 

tence  is  wanting.  Ellis  was  returned  at  the  last 
general  Election  for  Boston,  and  I  hear,  to  my  great 
sorrow  (for  I  think  he  will  find  that  it  is  not  so  easy 
a  matter  to  cut  a  figure  in  the  House  of  Commons), 
that  he  has,  or  is  about  to  leave  the  Cape.      ♦      ♦     ♦ 

"  Lord  Amherst  tells  me  that  Sir  Theophilus  Met- 
calf,  Robarts,  and  Toone,  are  all  in  England.  I  would 
have  written  to  the  latter,  had  he  been  at  Canton. 
This  is  an  extravagantly  expensive  place,  and  very 
dull  withal,  with  the  exception  of  the  scenery,  which 
is  really  beautiful.  This  place  has  no  kind  of  attrac- 
tion or  recommendation.  I  know  no  place  where  the 
scenery  is  more  grand  and  magnificent.     ♦       »       ♦ 

"  Feb.  4th. — As  you  may  easily  perceive,  I  fell 
asleep  over  this  last  night,  and  was  obliged  to  ex- 
change my  pen  for  my  nightcap.  I  cannot  afford  to 
re-commence  my  letter,  therefore  you  shall  have  it 
as  it  is,  and  I  will  resume,  and  say  something,  as  I 
began,  about  the  Revolution  in  Portugal.  It  has,  of 
course,  created  a  great  sensation  here,  and  given  the 
House  of  Braganza  something  to  do,  and  a  hint  to 
look  about  them.  Though  the  king  is  generally  be- 
lieved to  be  an  excellent  man,  yet  I  cannot  but  think 
that  he  is  at  heart  as  fond  of  absolute  power  as  any 
monarch  in  Europe ;  therefore  the  idea  of  a  Constitu- 
tion, or  of  restricting  in  the  slightest  degree  his 
power,  must  be,  and  doubtless  is,  most  galling  to  him. 
He  is  not  a  very  strong  man,  mher  in  body  or  mind, 
and  I  should  not  be  surprised  at  this  business,  when  it 
is  more  completely  effected,  and  comes  to  be  acted 
upon,  and  therefore  more  home  to  his  own  feelings, 
shortening  his  days.  We  know  not  what  he  has  done, 
or  is  going  to  do,  but  suppose  it  will  be  like  most 
other  things  in  this  country,  either  left  to  chance,  or 
BO  long  delayed  as  to  be  useless.     That  Portugal  will 


mc 

K 


i8'21.]  FROM   THE    UON.  J.   IIAYNE.  135 

:compHsh  what  their  neigliboura  have  done,  I  think 
MOW  beyond  a  doubt,  which  is  nothing  more  than 
might  be  expected.    My  principal  concern  is,  that  the 
iDternal  quiet  and  peace  of  tliia  country  should  be 
maintained  and  not  forgotten,  in  ttieir  anxtoue  df'sire 
preserve  Portngal,  thereby  exemplifying  the  fable  of 
le    dog  leaving  the  substance  for   tlie   shadow.     I 
'should  be  very  very  sorry  to  be  here  during  any  com- 
motion,    'riie  priaona  contain  a  great  many  unhung 
villains,  and  there  is  a  great  mixture  of  Blacks  and 
ulattoea  in  the  population  of  the  country.     You  are 
liter  off  in  the  power  of  John  Chinaman  than  at  tlie 
mercy  of  a  set  of  miscreants  of  every  colour  of  the 
rainbow.     They  first  talked  of  aendiug  Don  Pedro, 
the  eldest  aon,  to  Lisbon,  but  I  hear  no  more  of  that.  It 
a  question  amongst  the  ministers,  whether  the  king 
ould  go ;  the  majority  gave  it  against  him.    So  here 
'c  are,  and   I  think  they  are  waiting  to  see  or  hear 
hat  are  the  first  steps  taken  by  the  Cortes.     They 
much  from  the  Congress,  but  I  do  not  know 
hether  they  mean  to  rely  upon  their  interference. 
"  Now    1   have   given   you  what  news  this  place 
affords,  I  mu^t  beg  of  yon  to  return  me  an  account  of 
le  occurrences  that  have  and  are  to  take  place  in 
'our  part  of  the  ivorld  ;  what  effect,  if  any,  tlie  em- 
ly  has  had,  and  what  is  or  was  said  about  it — 
lough  it  is  now  nn  old  affair,  with  me  it  still  has  its 
irest.   I  should  very  much  like  to  see  your  account ; 
I  mistake  not,  I  heard  something  of  your  having 
■inted  off  a  sketch  of  it ;  if  so,  and  there  is  a  copy  to 
had,  I  should  much  like  one  to  keep  for  old  ac- 
[naintance'   sake.     How  we  actors  in  that    farcical 
ne  are  now  scattered  over  the  globe !     Lord  Am- 
rst  in  London,  Sir  Gcotge  also,  Ellis  at  the  Cape, 
tysvlf  at  Rio  de  Janeiro,  Toone  in  England,  or  on  the 


•*  •^ 


136  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1821. 

ocean ;  you,  Davis,  and  Pearson,  I  suppose,  at 
Canton;  Abel  settled  in  practice  at  Brighton,  and 
I  hear  doing  well ;  old  L  *  *  ringing  the  changes 
between  his  native  air  at  Norwich,  and  the  pleasures  of 
the  Grecian  Coffee-house  and  its  vicinity;  Cook  at 
Gibraltar ;  Abbott  and  Martin  in  the  Mediterranean ; 
Marris^e  in  London  when  I  left.  I  saw  in  a  late 
paper,  to  my  great  sorrow,  the  death  of  poor  M^Leod. 
How  goes  on  your  Chinese  Translation  and  Press  1 
Jeffery  Amherst  has  a  commission  in  the  Rifle  corps 
till  he  can  get  into  the  Guards.  Parliament  was  much 
engaged  last  session  in  inquiries  into  the  state  of  agri- 
culture and  commerce.  ( 
"  I  hear  that  the  monopoly  of  the  East  India  Com- 
pany, and  therewith  the  state  of  trade  to  China,  has 
been  the  subject  of  many  inquiries  before  a  Committee 
of  the  House  of  Lords,  and  Sir  G.  Staimton  has  been 
examined  before  them.  I  know  not  what  will  be  the 
result*  The  Queen's  business  has  superseded  every 
other,  and  of  course  thrown  them  much  in  the  back- 
ground. Mr.  Watts,  who  comes  to  Canton  in  an 
Austrian  frigate,  *  Arm^  en  Flute,'  with  quicksilver 
enough  to  set  you  all  in  motion,  is  the  bearer  of  this, 
and  will  be  happy  to  take  charge  of  your  despatches 
for  me  on  his  return.  I  do  not  recollect  seeing  him 
when  I  was  at  Macao.  I  beg  to  be  kindly  remembered 
to  all  the  members  of  the  Factory  generally,  but  more 
particularly  to  those  who  have  a  greater  claim  upon 
my  recollection,  and  to  whom  I  am  better  known,  viz., 
Toone,  Davis,  Pearson,  and  yourself,  in  whose  health 
and  welfare  I  shall  always  take  a  great  interest,  and 
with  my  best  wishes  to  both, 

"  I  am,  very  truly  and  sincerely, 

**  My  dear  Ma  Laouya, 
«  Han  (Hayne). 


1821.]  FROM  THE   HON.   J.  HAYNE.  137 

^N.  B.  This  climate  is  good^  but  at  this  season 
extremely  hot,  and  this  has  been  unusually  severe  ;  I 
haye  not  seen  my  thermometer  under  84  for  these 
three  weeks  or  more,  and  it  has  been  up  to  90  m  the 
shade.  I  was  not  long  enough  at  Macao  to  draw  a 
comparison  between  that  place  and  this ;  I  think  we 
have  a  fresher  and  more  regular  breeze  during  the  hot 
weather  than  you  have. — Adieu." 


SECTION  VII. 


FROM  1822—1824. 


Chinese  policy. — H  omicide  at  lintin. — Discussions  with  the  Government. — 
Trade  stopped. — English  families  go  on  board  Ship.— -Remarks  on  Homi- 
cides, by  Dr.  Morrison. — Sir  James  Urmston*s  Testimony  to  Dr.  Morrison's 
Services. — Departure  of  Dr.  Morrison's  Children  to  England.— Correspond- 
ence.—Death  of  Dr.  Milne. — Efforts  to  benefit  Sailors. — Fire  at  Canton.— 
Review  of  the  first  fifteen  years  of  the  Mission. — ^Visit  to  Singapore. — Con- 
ference with  Sir  S.  Raffles. — Singapore  Institution  founded. — ^Visit  to  Malacca. 
— Arrangements  there.— Return  to  Chiiuu^-Departure  for  England. — Journal 
of  the  Voyage. — Arrival  in  England. 

The  comparative  repose  from  contentions  with  the 
Chinese  authorities,  which  the  Company's  representa- 
tives lately  enjoyed,  was  most  unhappily  interrupted 
this  year  by  an  occurrence  entirely  unconnected  with 
their  establishment ;  but  as  it  was  the  policy  of  the 
provincial  government  to  hold  the  Committee  respon- 
sible for  any  act  of  aggression  committed  by  British 
subjects,  they  were  involved  in  most  harassing  discus- 
sions in  consequence  of  an  aifair  of  homicide.  While 
the  issue  was  pending,  the  trade  was  stopped,  and  the 
resident  families  repaired  to  the  Company's  ships,  as  a 
means  of  safety  in  the  event  of  a  final  rupture.  All  this 
was  occasioned  by  an  affray  between  a  party  of  sailors 
from  an  English  ship  of  war,  and  some  Chinamen  on 
an  adjacent  island,  in  which  one  of  the  latter  having 
lost  his  life,  the  local  government  required  the  English 
to  give  up  the  supposed  murderers  to  be  tried  and 
executed,  according  to  the  laws  of  China.     The  dis- 


M 


1822.]  REMARKS  ON    HOMICIDES.  139 

cuflsioiiB  on  this  subject  occupied  nearly  two  months  ; 
and,  as  Dr.  Morrison  observed,  he  had  his  "  own  share 
of  work  and  anxiety  on  the  occasion."  As  this  affair 
not  only  affected  the  pecuniary  interests  of  the  Hon. 
East  India  Company,  but  also  the  honour  of  the 
nation  generally,  a  narrative  of  it  will  be  appended 
to  this  volume,  as  drawn  up  by  Dr.  Morrison  *  at  the 
time ;  while  the  following  remarks  on  homicides, 
though  written  on  a  previous  occasion,  will  afford 
considerable  insight  into  the  nature  of  such  occur- 
rences, and  the  consequent  altercations  with  the 
Chinese  Government ;  while  the  hints  for  obviating 
such  occurrences  may  not  be  less  important  now,  than 
they  were  during  the  existence  of  the  East  India  Com- 
pany's authority  in  China. 


BEMABKS  ON  HOMICIDES 

Cammiiied  by  Europeans  on  the  Persons  of  Natives  at  Canton^ 

in  China. 

BY   THE   BEV.    DB.   MOBRISON. 

"  At  the  port  of  Canton,  in  China,  there  arrive  an- 
nually, several  thousand  seamen  and  other  Europeans, 
who  come  in  contact  with  many  thousands  of  natives, 
some  of  whom  are  of  the  worst  and  lowest  descrip- 
tion. The  natives,  having  all  the  pride  of  their  own 
government,  as  well  as  fraudulent  designs  occasionally 
on  the  foreign  sailors,  are  very  frequently  most  grossly 
insulting  by  words  and  signs,  and  by  throwing  stones 
or  dirt  at  foreigners ;  and  sometimes  they  induce  the 
sailors  to  intoxicate  themselves,  that  they  may  rob 

♦  Sec  page  10  of  the  Appendix. 


140  UEMARKS   ON   HOMICIDES.  [1822. 

them  with  impunity.  The  natives  also  very  frequently 
attempt,  and  often  succeed,  in  robbing  ships  and 
houses.  Under  these  circumstances  it  is,  with  the 
utmost  caution,  impossible  to  prevent  occasional  homi- 
cides. 

In  European  countries,  when  foreigners  commit 
homicides,  they  are  required  to  submit  to  the  laws  of 
the  country  in  which  they  take  place,  however  severe 
those  laws  may  be ;  and  many  persons  argue,  that  the 
same  must  be  done  in  China.  On  a  slight  view  of 
the  case,  this  argument  seems  reasonable ;  but  on  a 
closer  inspection  of  all  the  circumstances,  there  are 
weighty  objections  to  the  principle,  and  still  more  so 
to  the  practice. 

When  two  nations,  or  two  individuals,  are  con- 
cerned, there  are  reciprocal  rights  and  duties;  and 
between  rulers  and  the  persons  ruled,  there  are  reci- 
procal rights  and  duties.  The  Chinese,  however,  will 
admit  of  no  national  reciprocity ;  of  foreign  indivi- 
duals they  require  implicit  obedience  to  their  laws, 
without  practically  affording  to  foreigners  the  protec- 
tion of  those  laws.  They  will  not  grant  that  natives 
shall  assist  foreigners  to  learn  their  language;  nor 
will  they  allow  them  to  study  the  Chinese  laws,  nor 
admit  them  freely  to  the  courts  of  justice,  nor  furnish 
them  ^vith  legal  advisers  when  they  are  prosecuted ; 
and  therefore  it  may  be  fairly  argued,  that  the  prin- 
ciple of  implicit  submission,  on  the  part  of  foreigners, 
to  Chinese  laws,  is  not  tenable ;  for,  in  fact,  the  law 
is  explained  as  the  sitting  magistrate  pleases. 

To  a  certain  degree  the  Chinese  treat  all  foreigners 
as  if  they  were  enemies ;  and  they  act  not  as  friends, 
but  as  foes,  to  all  foreigners.  Is  any  man  bound  to 
submit  himself  implicitly  to  the  laws  of  a  perpetually 
hostile  people  ? 


^■ 


r- ' 


RKMARKS   ON    HOMICIDES. 


141 


Experience  has  shown  that  the  practice  of  implicit 
submission  has  led  to  the  capital  execution,  either  of 
foreigners  wholly  innocent,  or  guilty  only  of  man- 
elaughter. 

Did  the  Chinese  police,  however,  have  immediate 
recourse  to  physical  force  ;  or,  as  they  formerly  did, 
seize  innocent  persona  as  hostages,  individual  fo- 
reigners would  probably  be  compelled  to  submit. 

The  method  which  the  Chinese  Government  now 
adopts  in  cases  of  homicide  committed  by  Europeans,  is 
to  require  the  people  of  the  same  nation  with  the  alleged 
man-slayer,  to  discover  who  is  the  guilty  person ;  and 
having  found  him  by  their  own  process  to  be  guilty, 
then  to  deliver  up  to  the  local  authorities  for  judgment 

I  and  punishment.  If  the  foreignera  demur,  the  Chinese 
next  interdict  tlie  whole  commercial  intercourse  of  the 
nation  implicated ;  and  if  that  does  not  produce  the 
effect,  they  proceed  to  stop  supplies  of  provisions,  and 
endeavour  to  starve  the  foreignera  into  submission. 
These  hostile  proceedings  are  adopted,  not  against  the 
iuspected  individuals,  but  against  all  their  country- 
men, which  seems  to  mark  such  proceedings  with  no 
email  degree  of  injustice. 

For  that  which  the  Chinese  Government  requires, 
viz.,  that  the  foreigners  should  try  suspected  persons, 
and  then  deliver  them  up  to  the  Chinese  Government 
for  judgment  and  execution,  is  what  no  Europeans, 
neither  the  American's  nor  any  other  Consul,  nor  the 
Select  Committee  of  the  Honourable  Company's  ser- 
vauts  in  China,  have  power  to  do.  Their  own  govern- 
ments have  not  given  them  any  such  authority. 
The  Chinese  Government  evince  a  determination, 
I  when  a  foreigner  causes  the  death  of  a  native,  no 
linatter  how,  to  have  the  life  of  a  foreigner.  They  will 
■not  admit  any  excuse  or  justification.     The  defence 


142  REMARKS   ON    HOMICIDES.  [1822. 

of  a  man's  own  life  they  will  not  allow  to  be  a  justifi- 
cation for  causing  the  death  of  the  assailant. 

The  English,  from  want  of  authority  to  try  men 
accused  of  homicide,  and  from  a  dread  of  resigning 
an  innocent  person  to  the  Chinese,  have  been  led  to 
resist  the  Chinese  in  all  cases.  But  this  has  not  been 
a  matter  of  choice,  nor  a  wish  to  screen  a  murderer : 
it  has  been  a  line  of  conduct  forced  upon  them  by  the 
neglect  of  their  own  government  at  home,  and  by 
the  injustice  and  sanguinary  malice  of  the  Chinese 
This  state  of  things  is  both  a  moral  and  a  commer- 
cial evil :  that  a  wilful  murderer  should  be  screened, 
or  that  an  innocent  person  should  be  executed,  are 
both  great  moral  evils. 

The  remedy  is  by  no  means  easy  to  discover,  but 
that  the  East  India  Company,  and  his  Majesty's  Go- 
vernment, should  not  disregard  so  serious  a  subject  is 
very  evident.  Merely  Consular  power,  without  judicial 
authority,  would  be  unavailing. 

Perhaps  a  Recorder  with  power  to  form  a  Vice- 
Admiralty  Court  for  the  fleet,  would  remove  many 
of  the  difficulties.  In  cases  of  wilful  murder,  it  would 
remove  all  difficulties,  and  prevent  the  interruption 
of  the  trade,  and  the  consequent  heavy  pecuniary  loss ; 
and  would,  in  these  cases,  give  the  Chinese  a  good 
ground  to  expect  justice  in  other  more  complicated 
cases. 

And  if  the  Recorder  had  a  few  persons  attached  to 
him  whose  duty  it  should  be  made  to  become  well 
versed  in  the  Chinese  language  and  laws,  he  would 
be  able  to  argue  excusable  cases  of  homicide  much 
better  than  is  ever  done  at  present,  and  it  may  reason- 
ably be  hoped,  that  the  gentleman  appointed  to  the 
duties  now  spoken  of,  would  gradually  discover  some 
means  of  preventing  entirely  appeals  to  force,    the 


REMARKS  ON  HOMICIDES.  143 

Bon-trading  and  the  starving  eyatem  of  the  Chiuese, 

1  one  hand,  and  the  resistance  of  the  foreigners  on 
Ehe  other. 

If  these  anticipations  he  realized,  the  whole  expense 
attending  the  projected  Vice-Admiralty  Court  would 
soon  be  saved,  as  well  as  the  risk  of  a  permanent  in- 
terdiction of  the  trade,  and  a  consequent  probable 
state  of  hoatilitieB  be  avoided. 

By  means  of  Dr.  Morrison's  Dictionary  and  other 
publications  in  the  Chinese  language,  the  acquisition 
of  that  tongue  is  considerably  facilitated  to  English- 
men and  to  Americans ;  as  well  as  to  other  persons 
belonging  to  the  ditferent  nations  of  Europe.  Tlie 
liberality  of  the  Court  of  Directors  in  printing  those 
works  at  their  own  expense,  cannot  be  too  mueh 
praised;  but  they  have  not  provided  students  of  the 
langn^e  even  for  their  own  service.  The  simple  re- 
commendation which  the  Court  gives  to  the  writers 
intended  for  commercial  purposes,  does  not  meet  the 
exigency  of  the  case.  The  commercial  servants  have 
the  road  to  affluence  opened  to  them  without  knowing 
a  word  of  Chinese,  and  they  generally  despise  the 
recommendation,  and  ridicule  the  pursuit. 

Besides,  if  they  were  willing  to  study  Chinese,  and 
to  learn  to  speak  it  and  read  it  imperfectly  (which 
they  might  all  do  with  a  little  exertion  for  a  few 
years),  they  could  not  generally,  in  consequence  of 
commercial  duties,  acquire  that  facility  in  reading  and 
writing  Chinese,  which  is  so  necessary  in  all  difficult 
discussions  with  the  native  government.  For  in  such 
cases,  all  native  assistances  desert  their  employers; 
ind,  unless  a  translator  has  had  much  experience,  he 
weoraes,  under  such  circumstances,  nearly  helpless. 

Further,  a  mere  knowledge  of  the  language  is  not 
|dl  that  is  desirable ;  an  extensive  knowledge  of  the 


144  REMARKS  ON  HOMICIDES.  [1822. 

Chinese  govemment,  laws,  institutions,  history,  and 
geography,  is  what  would  greatly  facilitate  negotia- 
tions, provided  this  knowledge  was  possessed  by  pre- 
sons  in  authority,  viz.,  members  of  the  Select  Com- 
mittee, for  example ;  or  those  forming  the  Vice- Ad- 
miralty Court,  which  has  been  above  suggested.  And 
a  similar  knowledge  possessed  by  a  considerable  por- 
tion of  the  Factory  would  greatly  add  to  its  respecta- 
bility and  eflSiciency. 

It  is  to  be  apprehended,  that  the  Company's  servants 
in  China,  from  their  ignorance  of  the  Chinese  language, 
laws,  customs,  opinions,  and  prejudices,  often  write  to 
the  Chinese  in  a  way  which  does  not  convince,  and 
which  therefore  does  but  little  help  the  cause  which 
they  advocate.  Sufficient  pains  have  not  been  taken 
to  cope  with  the  intellect  of  the  Chinese,  such  as  it  is : 
and  it  must  be  confessed,  that  many  of  the  officers  of 
government  are  by  no  means  despicable  either  in  re- 
spect  of  natural  sagacity,  or  in  a  knowledge  of  human 
nature. 

The  Russians  go  to  the  expense  of  educating  ten 
persons,  in  constant  succession,  in  the  language  and 
literature  of  China,  to  facilitate  their  intercourse  with 
that  nation;  and  they  have  succeeded  in  having  a 
college  for  the  purpose  in  the  capital  of  the  country. 
Something  similar  to  this  Russian  institution,  con- 
nected with  the  Factory  at  Canton,  yet  seems  wanting 
to  complete  the  Company's  Establishment  in  China. 

If  any  apprehension  of  giving  offence  to  the  local 
gevemment  were  felt,  the  Anglo- Chinese  College  at 
Malacca  would  afford  facilities  to  students.  How- 
ever, the  writer  of  this  does  not  think  there  is  any 
reason  for  apprehension  on  that  score ;  for  the  Chinese 
Government,  on  one  occasion,  admitted  the  reason- 
ableness of  acquiring  their  language  for  conducting 


.^..     -T 


1^' 


1822.]  LINTIN  AFFAIR;  145 

commercial  affidrs,  at  the  same  time,  however,  they 
declared  their  subjects  should  not  be  sanctioned  in 
teaching  it ;  and  therefore  native  assistants  attend  only 
by  stealth. 

As  there  are  novr,  however,  several  gentlemen,  both 
in  China  and  out  of  it,  who  have  a  considerable  know- 
ledge of  Chinese ;  there  are  no]  difficulties  worth  no- 
tice, to  prevent  a  full  knowledge  of  all  that  China 
possesses ;  excepting  a  well-digested  system  of  educa- 
tion and  encouragement;  not  so  much  in  respect  of 
pecuniary  reward,  as  of  honour  and  respectability, 
emanating  either  singly  or  unitedly  from  the  Ho- 
nourable the  Court  of  Directors,  or  from  His  Majesty's 
government. 

If  all  that  is  here  recommended  were  adopted, 
homicides  would  occasion  considerable  trouble ;  still,  it 
is  not  likely  they  would  lead  to  such  distressing  dilem- 
mas, nor  to  such  dishonourable  compromises,  as  have 
heretofore  occurred. 


The  responsible  situation  Dr.  Morrison  held  as 
Member  of  Council,  during  the  discussion  of  the 
*  lintin  Affeir,'  occasioned  him  considerable  anxiety, 
not  only  on  account  of  what  might  be  the  issue  of 
the  measures  pursued,  but  also  with  regard  to  his  own 
position  in  reference  to  the  Chinese  Authorities,  who 
it  might  be  supposed  would  cherish  hostile  feelings 
towards  one,  who  they  knew  took  a  prominent  part  in 
effecting  their  defeat  on  this,  as  well  as  on  other  occa- 
sions ;  but  personal  considerations  with  him,  were  never 
preferred  to  public  duty,  nor  does  he,  in  the  narrative 
referred  to,  assume  to  himself  any  merit  on  account 
of  the  favourable  issue  of  these  discussions.  His 
services,  however,  were  not  unappreciated,  nor  unac- 

VoL.  n.  L 


146  TESTIMONY  OF  SIR  J.  URBfSTOK  [1822. 

knowledged  by  the  Select  Committee  in  their  des- 
patches to  England ;  and  Mr.  Auber,  in  his  ^^  Inter* 
course  with  Chinay*^  cites  a  circumstance  recorded 
in  the  Minutes,  which  proves  how  much  depended  on 
Dr.  Morrison's  discriminating  judgment  and  firmness. 
The  Captain  of  His  Majesty^s  Frigate,  sent  a  letter  to 
the  Viceroy  of  Canton,  which  was  returned  by  him 
unopened ;  but  the  Committee  permitted  the  letter  to 
be  opened  in  their  presence  by  the  merchants,  who 
required  it  to  be  translated,  ^^  Dr.  Morrison  being 
requested  to  translate  it  into  Chinese,  declined  upon 
the  ground  that  the  letter  itself  contained  expressions 
calculated  to  exasperate  the  Chinese  Authorities,  and 
that  if  the  Committee  once  became  parties  to  it,  they 
would  abandon  the  ground  they  originally  took,  of 
refraining  from  all  interference  in  matters  relating  to 
ships  of  war.  These  arguments  appeared  conclusive 
to  the  Committee,  who  admitted  that  they  were  off 
their  guard,  when  they  allowed  the  seal  to  be  broken, 
especially  as  Piqua  (one  of  the  merchants)  had,  pre- 
viously to  his  breaking  the  seal,  intimated  to  the  Pre- 
sident, the  Viceroy's  refusal  to  receive  any  communi- 
cation from  Captain  Richardson,  except  through  the 
Committee  and  the  Merchants.''  Page  298.  An  ad- 
ditional confirmation  is  afforded  by  the  following 
testimony  of  Sir  James  Urmston  to  Dr.  Morrison's 
services. 

"  During  the  progress  of  this  affair,  which  had  in- 
volved the  East  India  Company's  representatives,  in 
one  of  the  most  serious,  vexatious,  and  harassing  dis- 
cussions they  had  ever  been  engaged  with  the  Chinese, 
the  zeal  and  exertions  of  Dr.  Morrison  were  unremit- 
ting. His  extensive,  and  indeed  extraordinary  know- 
ledge of  the  Chinese  language,  both  written  and  col- 
loquial, and  of  the  system,  character,  and  disposition 


1822.]  TO  DR.  M0RRI80N^d  TALENTS.  147 

of  the  Chinese  government,  enabled  him  clearly  and 
fully  to  comprehend  its  sentiments,  views,  and  mean- 
ing, as  well  as  to  detect  the  sophistry,  duplicity,  and 
even  fiedsity,  which  but  too  frequently  marked  the 
official  documents  of  the  local  authorities,  as  well  as 
the  langui^e  and  arguments  of  the  Hong  Merchants, 
the  latter  being  always  the  vehicle  of  communication 
between  their  government  and  foreigners.  This  close 
and  correct  insight  to  the  Chinese  documents,  proved 
of  the  utmost  importance  to  the  Select  Committee, 
who  were  thus  enabled  to  frame  their  correspondence 
and  communications  with  the  Chinese,  in  a  form, 
language,  and  spirit,  suitable  to  meet  and  to  resist 
the  arrogant  language  and  pretensions,  and  the  unjust 
demands  of  the  Viceroy  of  Canton  and  his  colleagues. 
These  communications  were  translated  into  such  per- 
fisct  Chinese  by  Dr.  Morrison,  as  to  render  it  impossi- 
ble for  the  Chinese  government  to  misunderstand,  or 
even  affect  to  misunderstand  the  feelings,  sentiments, 
and  determination  of  the  East  India  Company's  re- 
presentatives, and  this  circumstance  is  at  all  times  of 
immense  importance  in  negotiations  or  discussions 
with  the  Chinese.  Dr.  Morrison's  invaluable  talents 
and  services  were  fully  understood  and  appreciated 
by  those  whose  vast  and  important  interests  he  had 
on  this,  as  well  as  on  various  former  occasions,  so 
essentially  benefitted." 

The  Company's  ships  having  returned  to  their  usual 
station,  and  the  trade  being  resumed.  Dr.  Morrison 
turned  his  attention  to  the  departure  of  his  children 
for  England.  The  following  extract  from  a  letter  to 
his  brother,  notices  this  event. 


l2 


148  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1822. 

TO  JAMES  MORRISON. 

"  My  Dear  Brother,^"  Canton,  March  19th,  1822. 

"  I  have  just  now  closed  letters,  which  my  little  boy 
John  will  take  with  him  ;  Mr.  Dill,  surgeon  of  the 
*  Atlas,'  will  take  care  of  him.  *  ♦  ♦  •  I  have 
sent  an  additional  £200  now,  one  hundred  by  Mr. 
Dill  for  John's  use,  and  one  hundred  enclosed  for 
Rebecca's.  I  desire  that  my  children  may  be  taken 
good  care  of,  and  be  brought  up  in  a  plain  way ;  but 
above  all  things,  to  be  taught  to  *  fear  the  Lord  be- 
times ' — ^that  is  wisdom.     ♦     *     •     ♦ 

"  Always  your  affectionate  Brother, 

"  R.  Morrison.'* 

His  daughter  had  previously  embarked  in  the  East 
India  Company's  ship  *  Kent,'  Captain  Cobb,  under 
the  care  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Malony,  by  whom  she  was 
treated  with  parental  kindness.  Thus  closed  this 
Canton  season;  and  Dr.  Morrison  returned  to  his 
solitary  home  at  Macao ;  the  retirement  of  which,  en- 
abled him  to  devote  himself  more  closely  to  his  mis- 
sionary duties,  and  also  to  proceed  with  the  remaining 
parts  of  his  Dictionary ;  while  every  successive  account 
from  Malacca,  only  tended  to  excite  his  most  serious 
apprehensions  for  the  life  of  his  valued  colleague.  The 
following  extracts  from  Dr.  Milne's  letters  show  with 
what  undiminished  zeal,  even  while  nature  was  sinking, 
this  devoted  servant  entered  upon  every  subject  con- 
nected with  the  advancement  of  his  Master's  cause,  or 
the  interests  of  the  Malacca  Institution. 

from  the  rev.  dr.  MILNE  TO  THE  REV.  DR.  MORRISON. 

"  Well,  Robert,  I  must  inform  you  of  more  troubles 
—one  light  and  one  heavy;    the  lighter  is   Bone's 


1822.]  LETTERS  FROM  THE  REV.  DR.  MILNE.  149 

removal  from  the  College,  and  betaking  himself  to  a 
seafaring  life.  His  reasons  for  this  are,  dissatisfaction 
with  the  mode  of  instruction,  thinking  it  too  strict  and 
rigorous ;  the  ill  conduct  of  Mr.  F.,  the  narrowness  of 
the  allowances,  a  change  in  his  views  with  respect  to 
the  line  of  life  he  should  adopt ;  and,  as  he  conceives, 
an  incapacity  to  apply  with  that  closeness  and  con- 
stancy which  are  necessary  to  the  successful  prosecu- 
tion of  Chinese. 

"  These  reasons  he  has  assigned.  As  to  the  first, 
which  has  more  immediate  regard  to  myself,  I  really 
think  it  probable  that  our  method  of  study  and  appli- 
cation may  have  appeared  hard  to  him;  and  as  I 
make  it  a  uniform  rule  (except  in  extra  cases)  to  in- 
sist on  lessons  being  thoroughly  learnt,  before  pro- 
ceeding to  new  ones ;  and  as  I  expect  that  an 
European's  child  shall  not  triumph  over  the  son  of  a 
Chinaman  without  a  cause,  so  I  think  there  may,  in 
his  apprehension,  have  been  really  some  ground  for 
such  an  idea.  However,  his  chief  reasons  are  such  as 
I  have  stated  in  the  certificate.  He  has,  upon  the 
whole,  conducted  himself  well,  notwithstanding  his 
negligence,  and  a  little  obstinacy  for  some  months 
past  (since  he  began  to  think  of  getting  more  money 
at  sea)  ;  I  have  given  him,  under  the  College  seal,  a 
good  character,  which  could  not  in  justice  (notwith- 
standing his  boyish  faults)  be  withheld  from  him. 
I  did  not  know  a  single  thing  of  it  till  about  eight 
days  ago ;  and  it  appears  that  ho  wished  to  keep  it  a 
profound  secret,  till  every  thing  was  ready.  His 
mother,  uncles,  and  friends,  are  all  displeased  with 
him.  I  observed  that  for  three  months,  he  seldom 
attended  Chinese  worship,  and  did  not  apply  with 
his  usual  assiduity.  When  put  in  mind  of  it,  he  said 
nothing.     He   also  complained  for  the  want  of  any 


150  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1822. 

European  company.  I  think,  howeyeri  that  want,  or 
rather  desire  of  money,  may  be  the  chief  cause ;  his 
mother  used  to  tease  him  about  the  smallness  of  his 
allowances,  about  what  use  his  Chinese  would  be  to 
him,  and  about  how  much  more  he  would  gain  at  sea, 
&c.  Finding  counsel  and  advice  useless,  I  did  nothing 
further ;  but  insisted  on  the  (College  being  refunded 
for  the  money  he  had  receiyed,  which  was  accordingly 
done  ;  this  I  considered,  according  to  the  rule  of  every 
similar  institution,  to  be  perfectly  just  and  fair,  where 
the  full  term  of  study  is  not  fulfilled.  He  lived  at  my 
table  quite  free  of  expense,  so  that  he  might  in  trudi 
have  been  exceedingly  comfortable,  had  his  mind 
been  contented.  Now,  in  order  to  counterbalance 
this  loss  in  some  measure,  there  is  a  fine  Chinese  lad, 
sixteen  years  old,  on  probation,  who  promises  very 
well ;  and  another  boy  twelve  years,  whom  his  mother 
has  offered ;  he,  however,  appears  as  yet  but  dull. 

"  We  shall  be  able  to  support  three  Chinese  lads 
with  Bone's  allowances ;  and  I  may  add,  that  Bone's 
progress  during  the  time  will,  I  trust,  tell  in  favour  of 
the  College. 

"  The  heavier  trial  is  the  conduct  of  — —  ;  Cap- 
tain Ford  has  this  morning  lodged  heavy  complaints 
against  him  for  improper  conduct  both  at  Batavia  and 
at  sea.  •  *  ♦  *  You  see  then  in  what  a  situa- 
tion I  am  placed.  Oh  !  for  grace  to  feel,  pray,  and 
act  aright.  Do,  Robert,  write  by  the  first  opportunity. 

"  I  have  begun  to  give  a  Weekly  Lecture  on  Geo- 
graphy to  the  Chinese  Students,  and  find  the  last 
year's  Essay  in  the  Magazine  on  this  subject,  will  be 
of  great  service.         ♦*♦•#• 

"  You  ask,  *  Do  I  not  rule  with  too  tight  a  rein  V 
I  really  do  not  know,  for  the  only  persons  I  have 
attempted  *  to  rule '  are  my  domestics  and  my  child- 


1822.]  LETTERS  FROBI  THE  REV.  DR.  MILNE.  151 

ren.  I  do  not  think  that  I  ever  intimated  a  wish  to 
my  biethren  in  langui^e  more  domineering  than  the 

following :    *  Mr. ^  I  wish  you  would  do  such  a 

thing.  I  should  he  glad  if  you  would  assist  me  for  a 
momenV  &c.        •♦♦•## 

"No,  Robert,  in  my  own  opinion  I  have  *not 
raledy'  but  ^  entreated  them  as  brethren.*  But  I  have, 
perhaps,  been  wrong,  first,  in  doing  too  much  of  the 
work  myself;  secondly,  in  admitting  and  keeping 
some  of  them  in  my  own  family  too  long,  where  my 
daily  infirmities  in  unguarded  moments,  could  not  fail 
to  display  themselves,  and  were,  it  appears,  duly  noted 
down  by  some  who  were  eating  my  bread ! 

"  Last  February  a  Chinese  junk,  carrying  1600 
em^rants  to  Batavia,  was  wrecked  in  the  Straits  of 
Gasper,  and  all  on  board  perished  except  190,  who 
were  taken  up  by  the  ^  Pearl '  Indiaman.  Another 
junk,  in  company  at  the  time,  saw  her  strike,  yet  went 
on  her  way  without  an  effort  to  save  a  single  life ! 
Alas  I  this  is  the  fraternal  love  which  paganism  in- 
spires !    These  the  people  who  need  not  the  gospel ! 

"  Finally,  I  perceive  you  are  greatly  depressed  and 
cast  down.  May  God,  by  the  secret  aids  of  his  Spirit, 
support  you  and  strengthen  you  to  all  patience  and 
long-suffering,  in  the  arduous  post  where  he  has  placed 
you.  The  conflict  may  not  be  long — secret  good  may 
be  doing,  where  things  externally  look  ill.  You  can- 
not form  a  just  conception  of  your  usefulness :  *  be 
thou  faithful.'  In  regard  to  the  Chinese  government 
knowing  our  books,  it  is  difficult  to  conjecture  what 
the  final  results  of  that  will  be — ^though  certainly 
there  seems,  humanly  speaking,  more  to  fear  than  to 
hope ;  God,  who  is  above,  may  turn  it  to  good.  I 
have  often  thought  that  an  examination  of  our  books 


152  CORBESPONDENCE.  [1822. 

by  them  might  issue  well,  though  perha)>s,  not  imme- 
diately so.  We  greatly  want  a  complete,  but  brief 
system  of  our  principles,  as  Christians,  which  could 
be  referred  to  by  us,  or  presented  to  them  to  examine 
in  case  of  persecution,  or  necessity.  May  the  Al- 
mighty arm,  my  dear  Robert,  shield  you  and  yours 
from  tyranny  and  persecution.  By  God's  help  you 
have  set  on  foot  what  all  the  emperors — and  mandarins 
— and  priests — and  literati — and  people  of  China  can 
never  destroy,  nor  effectually  stop;  what  will  raze 
their  temples,  destroy  their  idols,  change  their  lives, 
and  save  the  souls  of  many.  Be  not  ungratefully 
discouraged,  my  dear  friend.  How  many  servants, 
equally  faithful,  have  gone  down  to  the  dust  without 
being  honoured  a  tenth  part  so  much !  Once  more 
may  the  everlasting  arms  protect  you. 

"  January  29th,  1822. 

"  *  •  Yours  of  the  23rd  of  Dec.  last,  came  yester- 
day, with  the  Almanack  for  the  present  year.  We  all 
most  deeply  feel  for  your  situation,  in  the  midst  of 
such  troubles  as  this  affair  of  the  *  Topaz '  will  create, 
and  we  often  pray  that  God  may  *  shield  you  in  the 
day  of  trouble.'  Don't  suppose  you  are  forgotten, 
even  by  unworthy  mortals.  *  *  *  John  Craw- 
ford, Esq.,  Commissioner  to  Siam  and  Cochin-China, 
has  been  here,  and  called  several  times  for  information. 
We  gave  him  all  we  had,  which  was  not  much 

"  Singapore,  March  6th,  1822. 

"  You  will  be  surprised  to  find  me  here.  I  have 
been  in  this  charming  settlement  about  twelve  days. 
I  have  come  for  my  health,  which,  I  think,  has  im- 
proved a  little.  The  physicians  all  urge  a  sea  voyage 
of  considerable  length ;  I  cannot  now  take  that,  but 


1822.]  LETTERS  FROM  THE  REV.  DR.  MILNE.  153 

purpose  going  to  Penang  from  this,  to  keep  myself  as 
much  on  the  sea  as  possible.  I  have  been  fourteen 
days  from  Malacca,  and  if  I  go  direct  to  Penang,  I 
hope  to  be  back  at  Malacca  on  or  before  the  1st  of 
ApriL  The  *  Gleaner '  has  matter  enough  for  one 
number — ^the  *  Chinese  Magazine/  for  two  numbers — 
The  pupils  I  was  obliged  to  leave  under  the  eye  of 

Mr.  H .   Captain  Richardson  *  passed  a  week  ago, 

and  told  us  that  matters  were  not  settled,  and  that 
you  were  on  board  ship.  He  spoke  of  you  in  the 
highest  terms.  I  feel  for  your  personal  inconvenience, 
especially  for  the  danger  in  which  your  person,  or  our 
cause,  may  be.  The  Lord  shield  you  in  the  day  of 
trouble.-  "  Yours  ever, 

"  W.  Milne." 

FROM  THE  SAME. 
"  Dear  Robert,  "  Singapore,  March  23rd,  1822. 

"  Yours.of  the  15th  of  Feb.,  from  Chuen-pe,  by  the 
*  Susan,*  came  to  hand  yesterday.  I  go  per  *  Susan ' 
about  the  26th.  I  shall  now  briefly  answer  yours. 
1.  I  am  glad  of  what  you  wrote  home  on  the  subject 
of  the  fifth  particular  of  my  letter,  but  I  shall  be 
extremely  sorry  to  see  any  part  of  that  fifth  particular 
in  print — it  would  be  most  imprudently  premature. 
It  is  the  publication  of  such  raw  speculative  opinions 
which  does  us  harm.  We  give  them  what  we  think 
may  be  true — ^may  be  tried — may  be-  useful — may  be 
practicable — ^but  they  (the  persons  publishing)  often 
give  them  a  positive  form ;  and  opinions  come  to  be 
viewed  and  represented  as  facts,  which,  on  examina- 
tion, prove  not  to  be  facts,  and  thus  open  the  mouths 
of  the  ungodly.         •        *        *        * 

*  Commander  of  the  "  Topaz." 


154  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1822. 

'^  I  am  happy  that  trade  is  movmg  agam  with  you ; 
and  desire  to  bless  God  for  protecting  your  person  dur- 
ing your  commercial  war.  Your  Narrative  of  it  is  very 
interesting.  I  was  very  glad  to  see  the  Third  Part  of 
the  Dictionary  finished.  It  will  be  a  very  useful  Part, 
especially  to  persons  writing  in  Chinese.  The  Second 
and  Third  Parts,  constitute  two  separate  Dictionaries, 
each  complete  in  its  kind.  May  God  spare  and 
strengthen  you,  to  complete  the  first  also,  and  many 
other  useful  works.  Your  letter  by  a  Mr.  Palmer  is 
come,  but  requires  no  answer,  except  the  sympathy  of 
my  heart.  I  am  still  here,  though  I  don't  feel  myself 
improved  much ;  the  spitting  of  blood  returns  every 
now  and  then.  "  Your*s  ever, 

"  W.  Milne." 

FROM  THE  REV.  DR.  MORRISON  TO  DR  MILNE. 

"  My  Dear  William,  **  Macao,  May  Ist,  1822. 

"  This  morning  the  Factory  arrived  here  once  more 
from  Canton,  and  to-day  your  letters  by  the  *  Cas- 
sador,'  from  Singapore,  came  to  hand.  You  appear  to 
have  received  all  the  books,  &c.  &c.,  which  I  sent  you 
in  the  course  of  last  season.  I  am  concerned  to  hear 
of  your  bad  state  of  health — ^but  the  will  of  the  Lord 
be  done ;  righteous  is  he  in  all  his  ways.  My  house 
is  very  lonely,  and  my  spirits  depressed.  I  shall 
attend  to  the  blocks  immediately,  but  fear  no  oppor- 
tunity will  occur  of  sending  them  for  a  long  time  to 
come. 

"  May  27th. — Yesterday  the  *  Columbian '  arrived 
from  Liverpool,  which  place'  she  left  on  the  4th  of 
January,  and  brought  me  letters  from  my  beloved 
Mary's  mother  and  sisters  ;  some  of  them  written  be- 
fore, and  some  of  them  after  they  heard  of  Mary's 
death.         •         •         •         • 


1822.]  FROM  DR.  MORRISON.  155 

^  To-day  I  have  received  a  letter  from  you,  my  dear 
Wflliam,  written  whilst  you  were  at  Singapore  ;  and 
I  have  had  a  letter  from  Huttmann,  saying  that  you 
were  in  still  worse  health  at  Penang.  O  God,  prepare 
us  for  every  event,  and  have  compassion  on  the  feehle 
cause  of  truth  in  these  parts  of  the  earth.      *      * 

^^  Afuh  wrote  to  me  a  complaining  letter  ahout  the 
value  of  the  dollar,  and  the  way  in  which  the  two 
men  treat  him,  and  his  colleagues  the  Chinamen. 
Afuh  thinks  the  two  new  men  are  not  Christians.  I 
hope  you  are  alive,  and  have  returned  to  settle  these 
difficulties. 

'*  June  3rd. — I  am  induced  to  send  this  hy  a  ship 
which  is  going  to  attempt  to  get  down  the  China  seas, 
which  is  considered  doubtful  at  this  season  of  the 
year,  and  therefore  I  do  not  send  any  blocks,  &c.^ 
by  her. 

"I  have  received  your  letter  from  Penang,  and 
deeply  regret  the  afflicting  news  which  it  contains. 
O  that  God  may  spare  your  life,  and  restore  your 
health.  I  am  going  on  mourning  all  the  day,  an  un- 
profitable servant — Lord,  pity  me  ! 

"  Aheen  has  written  to  me  from  Canton,  saying 
that  he  is  convinced  of  sin,  and  desiring  to  be  washed 
therefrom  by  the  Saviour  of  the  world ;  in  token  of 
which,  he  asks  if  he  may  be  baptized.  The  lad  Asam, 
the  younger,  seems  to  understand  the  outline  of  the 
Gospel,  and  says  he  believes  it.  I  really  hope  Aheen 
is  sincere — ^he  was  always  too  proud,  as  well  as  a  con- 
ceited Tuh-shoo-jin,  *  a  literary  person,'  to  say  now  that 
he  was  convinced  of  sin,  and  wanted  salvation,  if  it 
had  not  some  reality  in  it.  He  is  a  man  of  few  words, 
and  naturally  cold-hearted.  If,  indeed,  he  now  looks 
to  the  Saviour,  God  be  praised  for  giving  to  worthless 


156  DEATH  OF  THE  REV.  DR.  MILNE.  [1822. 

me,  some  fhiit  of  my  feeble  labours !  Alas !  I  write 
this,  fearing  you  are  already  beyond  the  reach  of 
letters.     Farewell — God  bless  the  children ! 

"  R.  Morrison." 

The  apprehension  expressed  at  the  close  of  the 
above,  was  but  too  well  founded ;  the  beloved  friend  to 
whom  it  was  addressed,  had  indeed  finished  the  work 
allotted  to  him ;  and  was  early  called  to  enter  into  the 
"joy  of  his  Lord." 

From  Singapore  Dr.  Milne  proceeded  to  Penang, 
but  feeling  that  he  derived  no  benefit  from  the  change, 
he  was  anxious  to  return  to  the  scene  of  his  important 
labours ;  and  the  Penang  government  granted  him  a 
vessel  for  the  purpose ;  he  arrived  at  Malacca  the 
latter  end  of  May,  and  on  the  2nd  of  June  he  was 
called  to  rest  from  his  labours. 

In  a  brief  Memoir  drawn  up  by  Dr.  Morrison,  he 
remarks,  "  Dr.  Milne  appears  to  have  possessed  natu- 
rally a  very  ardent,  impetuous,  determined  mind ; 
yet  softened  by  mildness  of  manner ;  and  after  it  was 
converted — ^turned  from  Satan  to  God — ^it  retained 
its  natural  ardour  and  impetuosity,  but  directed  to 
new  and  very  different  objects  from  what  it  previously 
was.  He  was  fully  convinced  that  the  cause  of  Mis- 
sions, was  the  cause  of  Heaven ;  and  neither  *  fire  nor 
water*  could  impede  his  onward  course.  He  served 
with  courage  and  fidelity  ten  years ;  and  then,  worn 
out  by  useful  toils  and  hard  service,  died  at  his  post." 
This  lamented  event  was  communicated  to  Dr. 
Morrison  in  a  letter  from  Mr.  Huttmann. 


1822.]  LSTTSR  FROM  MR.  HUTTMANxX.  157 


FROM  MR,  G.  HUTTMANN  TO  THE  REV.  DR.  MORRISON. 
«  Sm,  "  Malacca,  June  14th,  1822. 

"  My  last  was  dated  the  Ist  ult.,  per  the  *  Andro- 
meda Vital/  for  Macao,  containing  a  small  list  of 
necessaries  for  the  printing  department,  which  I  hope 
has  come  to  hand. 

**  I  have  now  to  apprize  you  of  the  lamented  death  of 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Milne,  which  took  place  on  the  2nd  inst, 
nine  days  after  his  return  from  Penang.  Nothing,  I 
believe,  was  neglected  or  forgotten  to  be  done  that 
was  necessary  before  his  demise.  Had  it  pleased  the 
All-wise  Disposer  of  the  events  of  man,  to  have  taken 
him  to  his  rest  while  at  Penang,  we  should  have 
found  affairs  in  a  very  awkward  condition.  His  Will 
was  not  regularly  drawn  up  according  to  Dutch  law ; 
no  lawyer  or  notary  being  called  to  attest  the  same.  I 
had  great  difficulty  in  persuading  him  to  submit  to 
having  the  notary  called ;  and  I  really  think,  had  not 
Dr.  Sanger  plainly  told  him,  that  there  were  no  hopes  to 
be  entertained  of  his  recovery,  and  every  hour  he  ex- 
pected would  be  his  last,  he  never  would  have  yielded : 
the  consequence  would  have  been,  the  *  Orphan  Cham- 
ber'would  have  stepped  in  and  taken  charge  of  both  his 
children  and  property.  Thank  God,  this  is  obviated, 
for  it  would  have  been  their  ruin.  Powers  of  attorney 
were  likewise  found  necessary  for  us  to  carry  on  the 
establishments  here,  one  of  which  was  given  to  Mr. 
Humphreys  for  the  College,  the  other  to  myself  in 
conjunction  with  him,  for  the  Mission.  A  circular  has 
been  sent  to  our  several  agents,  under  Dr.  Milne's 
signature,  giving  validity  to  bills  drawn  by  Hum- 
phreys, Collie,  and  myself,  or  two  of  the  number,  on 
the  Missionary,  Bible,  and  Tract  Societies.     When 


1 58  CORRJSSPONDENCB.  [1822. 

Dr.  Milne's  Will  was  read,  a  day  or  two  previous 
to  his  death,  Humphreys  and  myself  found  our 
names  down,  appointed  Executors  for  his  estate.  The 
needful  has  been  done,  and  is  still  carrpng  on ;  the 
sale  will  take  place  to-morrow.  I  hope  its  produc- 
tions will  be  considerable  for  the  poor  orphans :  they 
are  all  in  excellent  health,  and  will  go  by  the  first 
convenient  opportunity,  \ik  Calcutta  (care  of  Dr. 
Chalmers,  who  intends  sending  two  of  his  children 
home  by  the  same  opportunity),  to  London,  care  of  W. 
A.  Hankey,  Esq.,  our  Treasurer ;  from  thence  to  Aber- 
deen. May  He  who  was  their  father's — their  mother's 
— friend  and  guide,  prove  theirs,  to  death.  A  copy 
of  the  Will  shall  be  forwarded  you  as  soon  as  it  is 
completed.  You  are  appointed  an  Executor;  and 
Dr.  Milne  has  requested  that  copies  be  forwarded  to 
each,  of  which  there  are  several.  I  have  not  the  Will 
by  me ;  it  is  under  a  Dutch  translation  for  the  *  Orphan 
Chamber,'  or  I  would  be  more  minute  in  my  accounts. 
"You  must  be  fully  sensible  of  our  situation — 
nobody  to  carry  on  the  Chinese  department.  I  did 
what  I  could  to  persuade  Dr.  Milne  to  let  me  Mnrite 
for  Medhurst,  Milton,  or  Slater.  No,  he  would  not 
allow  it.  Judges,  and  the  2nd  Chronicles,  are  unre- 
vised ;  the  1st  and  2nd  Kings,  and  1st  Chronicles, 
are  going  on  with  cutting.  A  month  or  two  more,  and 
the  workmen  will  be  at  a  stand ;  the  three  or  four  men 
lately  arrived,  are  engaged  for  two  years,  and  will  not 
return  without  full  pay  for  that  term ;  therefore,  of 
course  they  will  remain ;  they  may  possibly  be  wanted. 
*The  Chinese  Magazine'  is  stopped;  the  ^jQleaner,' 
naturally  has  shared  the  same  fate,  the  20th  number 
just  completed.  Your  Lectures,  are  going  on  ;  Chinese 
Catechism  of  Mr.  Ince,  is  in  movable  types ;  and  jobs 
now  and  then,  that  come  from  the  governments  of  Sin- 


1822.3         ^^*  MORRISON  TO  THJEE  BIBLE  SOCIETY.  159 

gapore  and  Batavia ;  the  Malayan  and  other  Tracts 
from  Penang. 

Dr.  Milne  begged  of  me  only  one  day  before  he 
died|  to  write  you,  and  urge  the  necessity  of  your 
coming  here,  at  least  for  some  months.  His  mind  i^- 
peared  rather  uneasy  respecting  the  appearance  of 
tfaEings  at  this  place.  I  pacified  him  as  well  as  I  could 
by  saying,  I  thought  a  simple  representation  would 
be  quite  sufficient  to  induce  you  to  sacrifice  a  few 
months  of  the  two  years,  allowed  for  your  visit  to 
Europe.  He  seemed  pleased  with  the  idea.  I  hand  you 
a  circular  I  drew  up,  to  prevent  persons  supposing  any 
stagnation  had  taken  place  in  the  mission  through 
our  dear  Milne^s  death. 

"  Remaining,  My  dear  Sir,  your's  truly, 

"  J.  H.  HUTTOANN." 

This  afflictive  communication  reached  Dr.  Morrison 
on  the  5th  of  July,  while  engaged  in  his  solitary  labours 
at  Macao ;  but  acutely  as  he  felt  this  additional  be- 
reavement, there  is  no  expression  of  his  feelings  re- 
corded, until  the  usual  season  for  the  departure  of  the 
Company^s  ships,  when  he  announced  the  event  to 
the  Bible  and  Tract  Societies,  &c.,  and  expressed  his 
deep  sense  of  the  loss  sustained  by  them,  as  well  as 
himself.  From  these  letters,  the  following  extracts  are 
given. 

TO  THE  BIBLE  SOCIETY. 

"  Canton,  October  10th,  1822. 

"  On  the  2nd  of  June,  1822,  it  pleased  Almighty 
God  to  remove  from  our  lower  world  my  friend  and 
colleague  the  Rev.  Dr.  Milne.  My  lamented  friend  did 
not  live  to  see  the  whole  Bible  printed  in  Chinese. 
Disease  arrested  his  progress  in  the  midst  of  a  revisal 


160  LfiTT£R  TO  THE  BIBLE  SOCIETT.  [1822. 

of  the  last  two  books ;  these  were  sent  up  to  me  to 
prepare  them  for  press,  which  I  have  done,  and  re- 
turned them  to  Malacca,  to  be  put  into  the  hands 
of  the  Chinese  printers,  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Hutt- 
mann. 

"  In  February  or  March,  1823,  I  purpose  to  go 
down  to  Malacca,  for  a  season,  to  arrange  with  the 
brethren  there  such  affairs  as  the  death  of  Dr.  Milne 
has  made  it  necessary  to  settle. 

"  Great  is  the  loss  to  this  mission  which  the  early 
removal  of  that  faithful,  devoted,  and  successful 
Chinese  Missionary,  has  occasioned.  His  attainments 
in  the  difficult  language  of  this  great  empire  were 
eminent.  His  whole  soul  was  in  his  work.  Few  have 
made  so  rapid  a  progress  as  he  did  in  the  language,  and 
in  a  comprehension  of  the  opinions  of  the  Chinese, 
which  he  studied  assiduously,  for  the  purpose  of  con-* 
veying  the  truths  of  the  Gospel  to  their  understandings 
and  their  hearts. 

"  But  our  great  Lord  and  Saviour,  the  Head  of  the 
church,  who  has  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth,  de- 
pends not,  for  the  spiritual  conquests  of  his  kingdom, 
on  any  human  arm.  Silence  and  resignation  become 
us  all,  under  these  occurrences,  which  appear  most 
afflicting  and  disheartening.  May  He  be  pleased  to 
raise  up  other  zealous  servants,  and,  by  the  outpouring 
of  his  Spirit,  prepare  this  great  nation  for  the  glad 
reception  of  the  truth.  His  word  shall  not  return 
void,  it  must  ultimately  produce  the  desired  effect.'' 

TO  THE  RELIGIOUS  TRACT  SOCIETY. 

"  Canton,  October  24th,  1822. 

"  I  have  now  the  melancholy  task  of  announcing  to 
you  officially,  the  death  of  your  former  correspondent 


1822.]      LETTER  TO  THE  RELIGIOUS  TRACT  SOCIETY.  16 1 

cm  the  subject  of  Chinese  Tracts,  my  lamented  friend 
and  colleague,  Dr.  Milne.  He  died  of  pulmonary 
conBumption,  at  Malacca,  on  the  2nd  of  June,  1822, 
in,  I  believe,  the  thirty-seventh  year  of  his  age.  A 
more  zealous  Evangelist  never  existed.  Few  ever  ex- 
oelled  him  in  piety  and  devotedness.  By  the  grace  of 
God  he  was  what  he  was.  The  Lord  has  removed 
him  from  his  labours,  and  has,  we  trust,  admitted 
him  to  his  eternal  joy:  blessed  be  the  name  of  the 
Lord! 

"  Milne  still  lives  in  the  numerous  Tracts  which,  by 
your  Society's  aid,  he  was  enabled  to  print  and  to  dis- 
tribute. A  disaffected  writer,  formerly  at  Batavia,  has 
complained  to  the  world,  that  Milne,  the  ^zealous 
Malacca  Missionary,'  sent  him  more  Tracts  than  he 
could  dispose  of,  and  they  were  piled  up  in  his  office. 
As  he  could  not,  or  did  not  chose  to  give  himself  the 
trouble  to  distribute  them  to  the  Chinese  Settlers, 
a  note  from  him  to  the  Malacca  Missionary  would 
have  been  but  civil,  and  would  have  prevented  any 
more  being  sent,  or  he  might  have  transferred  those 
in  question  to  hands  which  would  not,  like  his,  have 
neglected  this  work.  Providence  has  often  watched  over 
Bibles  and  good  books,  so  as  eventually  to  render  them 
useful  to  the  souls  of  men.  All  the  grain  cast  into  the 
ground  does  not  take  root — shall  man  therefore  cease 
to  sowl 

^^  Having  a  desire  to  rouse  the  attention  of  our  sea*- 
men  at  Canton,  to  what  concerns  Hhe  body  as  well  as 
the  soul,'  I  wrote  a  tract  for  them,  and  have  had  1000 
copies  printed;  a  considerable  number  of  them  are 
already  distributed.  It  is  the  first  religious  tract  in 
the  English  language,  that  has  been  printed  in  China." 

Few,  it  is  presumed,  can  peruse  the  following  letters 

Vol.  II.  M 


162  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1822. 

without  being  struck  with  the  union  of  tenderness  of 
feeling,  and  fortitude  of  principle,  which  they  display — 
they  prove  that  sanctified  affliction,  instead  of  destroy- 
ing  mental  energy,  rather  stunulates  to  more  vigorous 
efibrts  in  the  Christian  race.  In  that  spirit  of  self- 
denial  which  was  a  leading  feature  in  Dr.  Morrison^s 
character,  he  relinquished  his  intention  of  visiting 
Europe  for  the  present— or  probably  for  ever,  that  he 
might  repair  to  Malacca,  for  the  purpose  of  arranging 
the  affairs  of  the  mission,  which  the  illness  and  death 
of  Dr.  Milne  had  unavoidably  thrown  into  disorder. 

FROM  DR.  MORRISON  TO  MRS.  S . 

''Canton,  China,  Oct.  13th,  1822. 

"  My  Dear  Friend, 

^^  Your  letter  of  Jan.,  1822,  has  reached  me  in  the 
midst  of  my  afflictions  and  duties.  To  the  death  of 
my  beloved  Mary,  that  of  Milne  is  now  to  be  added. 
Dear  William  died  on  June  2nd,  1822.  I  do  not  repine 
at  the  dispensations  of  Providence,  but  I  have  wept 
much  on  being  left  alone  and  desolate ;  and  I  have 
wept  over  my  own  sinfulness.  I  would  that  my  heart 
were  more  set  on  heavenly  things.  I  desire  to  be 
found  actively  engaged  in  my  proper  duties,  waiting 
for  the  coming  of  my  Lord.  In  consequence  of  Dr. 
Milne's  death  I  am  going  down  to  visit  Malacca,  in 
February  or  March  next,  and  have  deferred  my  visit 
to  England — ^indeed  I  may  entirely  change  my  resolu- 
tion, for  none  of  the  Missionaries  now  at  Malacca 
have  made  much  progress  in  the  Chinese  language. 
A  Missionary,  as  efficient  as  William  was,  is  not  every 
day  to  be  found — ^but  still  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  can 
thrust  forth  other  labourers. 

^*  I  have  now  been  fifteen  years  in  this  country ; 


1822*3         FROM  DR.  MORRISON  TO  MRS.  S •  163 

and  one-half  of  those  years  quite  alone.  God  has 
borne  with  my  infirmities,  and  has  blessed  the  labour 
of  my  hands.  My  present  health  is  still  wonderfully 
good.  I  did  not  at  first  suppose  I  should  have 
Uyed  80  long  as  I  have  •  •  •  q  may  the 
remainder  of  my  life  be  spent  more  spiritually,  and 
my  efforts  to  exhibit  the  Gospel  be  blessed  by  God's 
Holy  Spirit,  and  so  be  rendered  the  savour  of  life  to 
many  of  the  Chinese !  I  think  I  see  the  blade  spring- 
ing np  from  the  seed  which  has  been  sown ;  but  by 
my  removal  to  Malacca,  it  will  not  have  the  benefit  of 
being  regularly  watered,  and  it  may  die ;  unless  God 
in  iiid&nite  mercy  keep  it  every  moment. 

**  I  have  had  so  much  writing  the  last  fifteen  years 
that  my  sight  is  not  very  good,  and  I  find  a  little  fall- 
ing off  in  my  strength  to  labour ;  you  must,  therefore, 
excuse  the  brevity  of  my  letter. 

*'  I  hope,  my  beloved,  dear  motherless,  and  (as  far  as 
a  fistther's  immediate  care  goes)  also  fatherless  children, 
are  now  in  England  ;  if  you  happen  to  see  them,  be 
kind  to  them  for  dear  Mary's  sake,  and  for  my  sake, 
and  for  our  Lord's  sake,  in  whose  service  Mary  died. 
I  hope  I  too  shall  die  at  my  post. 

**  Hemember  me  affectionately  to  all  whom  I  once 
knew,  and  to  those  who  feel  much  interested  in  our 
Chinese  Mission. 

"Milne's  orphans  were  all  quite  well  by  the  last 

account. 

"  I  remain  your  affectionate  Friend, 

"  Robert  Morrison." 


M  2 


164  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1822. 

TO  HIS  SISTER,  MRS.  JAMES  MORRISON. 

"  Canton,  Oct.  15th,  1822. 

"  Your  letters  of  March  and  April,  I  have  received. 
In  that  portion  of  health  and  temporal  prosperity 
which  you  enjoy,  there  is  much  reason  for  gratitude 
to  our  gracious  and  merciful  God ;  hut  still  more  for 
your  hearts  heing  inclined  to  fear  and  love  him ;  and 
also  the  good  conduct  of  your  sons;  the  piety  and 
good  sense  which  their  letters  indicate,  are  all  to  me 
matters  of  thankfulness  to  God.*' 

After  referring  to  Dr.  Milne's  death,  he  remarks, 
"  I  have  felt,  and  still  feel,  very  much  cast  down.  I 
am  so  friendless  in  one  sense — ^my  parents  have  long 
been  dead — all  of  you  are  far  from  me.  Those  I 
loved  most  are  taken  away.  The  heathen  around  me 
are,  by  the  institutions  of  their  country,  inhospitable, 
and  void  of  affection  for  strangers.  I  do  not  repine — 
but,  so  solitary  as  I  am  rendered,  is  not  a  desirable 
condition.  Yet,  oh  how  much  have  I  to  be  thankful 
for !  God  save  me  from  being  ungrateful  to  him.  He 
has  given  me,  I  hope,  to  taste  his  grace,  and  to  be 
interested  in  his  salvation — and  he  has  brought  me  to 
honour  in  his  church,  and  he  has  given  me  abundant 
provision  for  all  my  bodily  comforts.  May  the  Lord 
hear  the  prayers  which  my  friends  offer  for  me,  and 
never,  never  forsake  me.  •  •  • 

"  I  enclose  £300  for  the  benefit  of  my  dear  children. 
I  wish  to  adopt  little  Robert  Milne  as  my  son,  and 
support  him  with  my  own  Robert;  this  must  be 
arranged  with  the  Executors.  *  *  I  am  much 
hurried — ^may  God  our  Saviour  be  merciful  to  you, 
and  keep  you  to  his  eternal  kingdom.    Farewell! 

"  Your  affectionate  Brother, 

"R.  Morrison." 


1822.]  AN  ADDRESS  TO  FOREIGNERS.  165 

It  may  be  observed,  that  although  Dr.  Monisou 
chiefly  devoted  his  efforts  to  the  evangelization  of  the 
heathen,  still  every  other  class  of  his  fellow-creatures, 
according  to  the  degree  of  their  moral  or  physical 
necessities,  shared  in  his  sympathies,  and  perhaps  none 
more  than  the  seamen,  who,  from  Europe  and  Ame- 
rica, annually  visited  the  shores  of  China,  and  for 
whose  spiritual  welfare  he  made  constant  and  unre- 
mitted efforts  to  the  close  of  his  life.  His  last  printed 
sermon  was  preached  to  sailors  at  Whampoa  ;  and  the 
first  English  Tract,  ever  printed  in  China,  was  written 
by  him,  and  distributed  among  the  seamen  during  the 
present  season — a  copy  of  it  will  be  found  in  the  Ap- 
pendix. It  is  not  given  as  a  specimen  of  elegant  com- 
position, but  to  show  the  facility  with  which  he  could 
adapt  his  style  to  the  characters  and  capacities  of 
those  whom  he  endeavoured  to  instruct.  Thus  while 
he  devised  plans  for  doing  good,  he  also  used  his 
influence  to  secure  the  co-operation  of  those  who 
possessed  the  means  of  carrying  them  into  effect—^ 
with  this  intent  the  following  paper  was  addressed 
to  all  who  visited  China  for  commercial  or  other 
purposes.  

AN  ADDRESS  TO  THE   FOREIGN   CHRISTIAN  COMMUNITY   IN 

CHINA. 

**  Canton,  China,  Oct.  13th,  1822. 

***As  we  have,  therefore,  opportunity,  let  us  dp 
good  unto  all  men.' — Gal.  vi.  10. 

"  The  spirit  of  universal  benevolence  is  the  Christian 
spirit,  which  shows  its  reality  by  availing  itself  of 
every  opportunity  of  doing  good  to  our  fellow-crea- 
tures. The  household  of  faith  have  the  precedence — 
charity  or  love  begins  with  them,  but  does  not  termi" 
nate  there. 


166  AN  ADDRESS  TO  THE  [1822. 

"  Our  benevolent  exertions  must  be  directed  to 
those  who  come  under  our  notice,  or  with  whom  we 
happen  to  have  any  intercourse. 

"  In  China^  where  we  make  a  temporary  or  a  more 
permanent  stay,  we  are  brought  in  contact  with  an 
immense  population,  which  calls  aloud  for  benevolent 
efforts.  I  mean  to  affirm  that  we  are  brought  into  con- 
tact with  a  part  of  this  immense  population ;  we  are 
stationed  by  Providence  for  a  time  on  the  skirts  of 
this  vast  concourse  of  human  beings,  and  I  wish  to 
impress  it  upon  your  minds,  that  this  circumstance  is 
one  of  the  opportunities  which  may  be  fairly  con- 
strued into  giving  them  a  claim  to  your  benevolence, 
greater  than  that  of  some  other  tribes  of  men.  Under 
this  impression,  I  wish  that  you  would,  from  this  time, 
recognise  the  claim  which  this  pt^an  nation  has  upon 
your  benevolent  exertions ;  and  that,  from  hencefor- 
ward, till  your  dying  hour,  you  will  cherish  in  your 
hearts  an  ardent  desire  to  do  them  good ;  whether 
hy  your  personal  services  to  them,  or  by  pleading 
their  cause  with  your  fellow  Christians,  during  your 
sojourn  amongst  them,  or  after  that  connexion  shall 
cease;  that  at  all  times  you  will  pour  out  your 
hearts  to  God  in  their  behalf,  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
may  breathe  on  these  dry  bones,  and  cause  them  to 
live. 

"  I  would  that  a  little  church  of  praying  people 
were  found  in  Canton,  and  that  all  real  praying 
Christians,  who  may  hereafter  visit  it,  should  join 
themselves  to  it. 

"  To  give  perpetuity  to  these  desires  and  views,  I 
have  written  these  lines,  which  will  remain  on  record 
amongst  the  papers  of  our  Chinese  Mission ;  and  in 
token  of  your  acquiescence  in  the  tenor  and  spirit  of 


1822.]  F0RJEEI05  CHRISTIAN  COMMUNITY,  &C.  167 

the  sentiments  expressed,  I  request  your  signature 
thereto. 

(Signed,)  "Robert   Morrison,    the  first  Pro- 

testant Missionary  to  China. 
D,  W.  C.  Olyphant,  Merchant  from 

the  United  States  of  America* 
W.  E.  Farrer,  Second  Officer   of 

H-  C.  S.  Orwell. 
Henry   Mortlock,    Civil    Service, 

Madras. 
Elize  Mortlock. 
D.  Mackenzie,  Surgeon  of  H.  C.  S. 

London. 
Gilbert  Farquhar  Mathison.  '' 

The  foregoing  address  was  succeeded  by  a  "  Pro- 
posal for  bettering  the  Morals  and  Condition  of  Sailors 
in  China,***  by  Dr.  Morrison ;  it  was  circulated  among 
the  foreign  residents,  captains,  &;c.,  many  of  whom 
showed  themselves  well  affected  to  the  object,  which 
was  so  far  accomplished  at  this  time,  that  arrange- 
ments were  made  for  Dr.  Morrison  to  preach  on  board 
one  of  the  ships  lying  at  Whampoa,  on  Sunday,  the 
3rd  of  November.  This  arrangement  was,  however, 
for  the  present  disconcerted  by  the  occurrence  of  a 
most  destructive  fire,  which  threatened  the  lives  and 
property  of  thousands.  Dr.  Morrison  drew  up  a 
copious  "  Narrative  of  the  Fire  at  Canton,"  *  which 
will  be  found  at  the  close  of  this  volume.  The  day  pre- 
ceding this  calamity,  the  annexed  letter  was  written 
by  the  late  Rev.  Henry  Mortlock  of  Brighton,  who 
was  then  with  his  family  staying  at  Macao.  He 
little  supposed  how  differently  his  friend  was  to  be 

*  See  Appendix. 


168  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1822. 

eng^ed  from  what  he  then  anticipated — instead  of 
publishing  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation  to  an  attentive 
audience,  he  was  writing,  and  presenting  unavailing 
petitions  to  the  officers  of  the  Canton  government  for 
aid  to  save  the  property  of  the  burnt-out  foreigners. 
However,  on  the  8th  of  the  following  month,  the 
Bethel  Flag  was  hoisted  at  Whampoa,  and  a  sermon 
preached  to  the  sailors,  by  Dr.  Morrison. 


FROM  MR.  MORTLOCK  TO  THE  REV.  DR.  MORRISON. 

"  My  Dear  Friend,         "  Macao,  Nov.  2nd,  1822. 

"  On  my  return  home  last  night,  from  our  evening's 
4valk,  I  found  your  letter  on  my  table,  and  sincerely 
rejoice  to  find  that  the  Lord  has  thus  early  (I  doubt 
not  in  answer  to  prayer)  made  your  way  clear  for  the 
commencement  of  a  plan,  which  may  be  connected 
with  the  salvation  of  many  souls.  The  hearts  and 
prayers  of  some,  at  least,  at  Macao,  will  be  with  you 
on  the  interesting  occasion  of  to-morrow's  service, 
What  an  encouragement  may — and  should  all  en- 
gaged in  the  service  of  God,  draw  from  the  following 
declaration  of  Jehovah  himself,  *  Fear  not,  for  I  am 
with  thee.'  May  Nehemiah's  prayer  and  success  be 
yours. 

"  I  did  not  imagine  that  you  would  require  the  *  Pro- 
posal '  much  before  the  first  despatch.  I  have,  however, 
copied  it  out  this  morning,  and  now  return  it  with  my 
best  prayers  for  the  acceptance  and  blessing  of  Him 
*  whose  you  are,  and  whom  you  serve.'^         *         * 

"  It  might  have  a  good  effect  if  you  were  to  have 
a  few  copies  of  the  *  Proposal'  struck  off,  and  cir- 
culated to  each  of  the  Captains  and  Surgeons,  with 
a  few  lines  from  yourself,  requesting  them  to  favour 
you  with  their  opinions  and  suggestions  on  both  the 


1822*3  mOM  MR.  MORTLOCK.  169 

objects  therein  suggested,  for  the  benefit  of  any  Com- 
mittee who  may  hereafter  be  requested  to  deliberate 
and  report  upon  the  subject. 

**  This  would  at  least  render  your  present  operations 
more  generally  known,  and  your  congregations  might 
thus  be  greatly  increased.  *  *  * 

**  I  like  your  Tract  very  much,  and  think  it  exceed- 
ingly well  calculated  to  do  good.  It  must  at  least  be 
well  received.  ^  The  first  English  Tract '  in  China 
from  your  pen  also— May  the  Lord  give  you  (with 
the  desire,  the  design,  and  the  execution)  grace  to  bear 
with  Christian  humility,  all  the  honours  that  thus 
await  you.  To  him  I  know  you  ascribe  all  the  glory 
— and  I  say  not  this  because  you  seem  to  need  the 
caution,  but  because  you  are  a  man,  and  because  the 
Lord  has  done  great  things  by  your  instrumentality ; 

I  trust,  my  dear  friend,    you  understand   me   well. 

***** 

But  I  must  lay  down  my  pen  and  apologize  for  this 
long  prose ;  accept  Mrs.  Mortlock's  and  my  own  most 
affectionate  regards,  and  believe  me,  at  all  times, 

"  Your  truly  attached  Friend, 

"  Henry  Mortlock." 

"  Mrs.  Mortlock's  letter  was  no  ^  extortion,'  nor  other- 
wise than  a  pleasant  duty.  She  was  engaged  with 
the  infant  when  I  happened  to  be  writing,  or  she 
would  at  once  have  written  for  herself,  so  you  must 
give  her  full  credit  for  feeling  towards  you  all  you 
can  wish,  and  so  truly  deserve  at  our  hands.  We 
thank  you  much  for  your  very  kind  and  affectionate 
consideration  towards  our  little  girl.  She  was  quite 
pleased  when  Mamma  read  the  letter  to  her,  and  has 
been  very  anxiously  enquiring  after  ^Missa  MorsorCs 


170  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1822. 

pittieSf'    whicli,    however,    have   not    yet    come    to 
hand. 

"  I  have  been  greatly  interested  by  the  accounts 
which  Du  Halde  gives  of  the  introduction  into,  and 
banishment  of  Christianity  from,  this  mighty  empire. 
The  Lord  reigns,  and  let  us  hope  that  his  time  to  have 
mercy  on  this  land  is  not  very  distant.  Is  it  not  the 
case  that  the  darkest  time  of  the  night  is  that  which 
immediately  precedes  the  dawn  of  day  1  At  any  rate, 
the  time  for  the  Lord's  interposition  is,  perhaps,  when 
his  people  are  brought  to  feel  that  he  alone  can  accom- 
plish for  them,  and  to  pray  and  trust  in  him  alone, 
accordingly." 

A  few  more  selections  from  Dr.  Morrison's  corre- 
spondence, and  a  brief  review  of  the  first  fifteen  years 
of  the  Chinese  Mission,  close  the  present  eventful 
period  of  this  Narrative. 

TO  THE  REV.  DR.  MORRISON. 
"  My  Dear  Sir,  "  Canton,  Sunday  affcemoon. 

^^  I  was  reflecting  but  a  short  time  only  before  the 
receipt  of  your  note,  upon  the  propriety  of  requesting 
to  join  in  your  Sunday  devotions.  Your  kind  antici- 
pation of  my  wishes  therefore  is  most  i^reeable  and 
satisfactory.  God  grant  that  I  may  never  prove  un- 
worthy of  your  kindness  and  attention  to  me,  when 
every  additional  aid  is  of  so  much  importance.  Con- 
cerning the  inclosed  '  Proposal,'  it  would  be  presump- 
tuous in  so  young  a  man,  and  so  new  a  resident  in 
China,  to  express  an  opinion.  I  can  only  say,  that  I 
have  no  doubt  of  its  utility  and  practicability,  and  that, 
as  far  as  my  limited  means  extend,  I  will  spare  neither 
money  nor  exertion  in  order  to  promote  the  success  of 


1822.]  PROM  SIB  G.  T.  STAUXrON.  171 

the  object  in  view.  Meantime  I  offer  up  my  sincerest 
good  wishes  for  its  speedy  and  happy  accomplish- 
ment, and  remain 

"  Your's,  very  truly  obliged, 

"  Gilbert  Farquhar  Mathison." 
from  sir  g.  t.  staunton  to  dr.  morrison. 

"  My  Dear  Sir,      "  Portland  Place,  April  24th,  1822. 

"  Although  I  have  not  had  the  pleasure  of  any  re- 
cent letter  from  you,  I  am  daily  expecting  and  .look- 
ing forward  with  impatience  to  that  gratification ;  and 
in  the  mean  while  I  am  happy  to  hear  that  you  con- 
tinue well,  and  pursue  with  unabated  vigour  a  career 
in  which  you  hold  an  undisputed  pre-eminence. 

"  You  will  perceive  that  I  am  also  once  more  be- 
fore the  public ;  and  I  have  the  pleasure  of  transmit^ 
ting  to  you  a  copy  of  my  newly  published  volume,  for 
your  kind  acceptance,  by  this  despatch.     It  does  not 
contain  a  line  of  new  matter  in  respect  to  translation, 
as  I  have  wholly  abandoned  that  pursuit  since  my 
last  return  to  England;    but  the  repeated  proofs   I 
have  received  of  the  entire  misconception  which  ge- 
nerally prevails  in  this  country  respecting  the  politico- 
commercial  state  of  our  interests  in  China,  and  the 
duty  which  I  fancied  in  some  degree  devolved  upon 
me,  as  a  Member  of  Parliament,  to  endeavour  to  coun- 
teract the  effect  of  this  impression  upon  the  Legislature, 
has  at  last  provoked  me  to  take  up  my  pen  in  the 
cause — ^with  what  success,  is  still  to  be  seen.     You 
will  feel  with  me  the  extreme  delicacy  and  painful 
nature  of   some  of  the   subjects   I  was  obliged   to 
grapple  with ;  especially  those  in  which  I  was  per^ 
sofudly  a  party ;  but  I  trust  I  have  got  through  them, 
at  least  without  doing  mischief. 


172  C0RRESP0ND£I4CE.  [1822. 

"  Chinese  literature  is  still  occasionally  cultivated 
amongst  us.  Remusat  has  j  ust  published  his  Gram- 
mar, and  promises  shortly  a  *  Catalogue'  Raisonn^,  of 
the  Chinese  library  at  Paris,  and  a  translation  of  the 
novel  ^  Yu  Keao-lee.' 

"  I  had  the  pleasure  of  bringing  young  Davis  and 
Murray  acquainted  at  the  commencement  of  this 
winter,  and  the  latter  has  printed  Davis's  Translations, 
in  a  very  neat  volimie,  a  copy  of  which  you  will  pro- 
bably receive  from  him  by  the  present  opportunity. 

"  I  shall  be  glad  to  hear  from  you  occasionally,  of 
the  success  of  your  new  College  at  Malacca.  I  con- 
fess I  was  not  favourable  at  first  to  the  plans  which  I 
then  saw  of  its  establishment,  and  feared  that  the  best 
of  causes,  if  prosecuted  vnth  zeal  without  discretion, 
might  be  rather  defeated  than  promoted ;  but  the  ex- 
perience of  years  has  now  in  great  measure  removed 
these  apprehensions,  and  I  have  therefore  no  longer 
any  hesitation  in  contributing  my  share  to  the  pro- 
motion of  so  excellent  an  object  as  the  moral  and 
religious  instruction  of  the  Chinese,  through  the 
medium  which  you  have  so  liberally  created.  I  have 
to  request  you  to  have  the  kindness  to  present  the 
enclosed  note  for  500  dollars,  in  the  course  of  the 
season,  and  to  remit  it  to  Malacca  at  your  convenience, 
unless  from  the  abandonment  of  the  College,  or  any 
other  cause,  you  should  consider  such  a  subscription 
now  out  of  place. 

"  I  was  sorry  to  hear  of  the  death  of  poor  Qwang, 
our  imperial  conductor.  His  prudent  and  courteous 
conduct  certainly  contributed  very  much  to  smoodi 
the  asperities  and  perplexities  of  our  situation,  and, 
placed  as  he  was,  he  could  do  no  more.  I  shall  be 
curious  to  know  your  opinion  on  the  late  American 
dispute  at  Canton.     The  case  was  certainly  a  more 


1822.]  DR.  Morrison's  reply.  173 

difficult  one  than  that  of  Edward  Sheen,  but  still  I 
think  the  life  of  the  man  might  have  been  saved. 

"  I  am,  my  dear  Sir, 

"  Very  much  your's, 

"  George  Thomas  Staunton." 

dr.  morrison's  reply. 

"  Dear  Sir  George,        "  Canton,  October  7th,  1822. 

"  Your  friendly  letters  of  April,  1821,  and  of  1822, 
both  reached  me ;  but  last  season,  in  consequence  of 
Ifrs.  Morrison's  death,  I  did  not  write  to  any  of  my 
correspondents. 

"  The  books  which  you  kindly  sent  me  I  thank 
you  for — ^the  last  one,  however,  has  not  yet  come  to 
hand.  There  is  a  copy  here,  however,  which  I  have 
read,  and  am  very  glad  that  you  have  at  last  been 

*  provoked'  to  undertake  a  good  work,  in  which  you 
have  succeeded  to  admiration;  whether  the  Edin- 
burgh Reviews  will  reply  or  not,  time  must  deter- 
mine. 

"  If  your  friend  Barrow  wrote  the  Review  of  your 

*  Chinese  Embassy,'  in  the  *  Quarterly,'  he  appears 
to  have  rather  changed  his  opinion  of  the  Chinese,  at 
the  same  time  that  his  silence  shows  the  same  good 
feeling  which  he  has  always  manifested  towards  me. 

"I  have  received  a  copy  of  Remusat's  Chinese 
Grammar,  which,  like  his  *  Chung-yung,'  is  a  very 
respectable  book,  in  which  the  Chinese  characters  are 
admirably  engraved,  or  cast,  I  do  not  know  which. 
I  wish  they  could  print  Chinese  as  well  in  London, 
as  they  do  in  Paris. 

"  I  am  sorry  that  the  aged  (as  I  presume  he  now 
is)  Dr.  Montucci,  should   be  so  much   hurt  on  ac- 


174  CORRESPOXOENCE.  [1822. 

count  of  Dr.  Milne's  remarks,  about  his  *  ParalleV  in 
the  ^  Gleaner.'     I  wonder  what  Manning  is  doing. 

"  Your  abandonment  of  Chinese  gives  me  cause  of 
much  regret.  I  think  even  when  you  did  relinquish 
the  toil  of  studying  it,  you  should,  in  the  capital  of 
Great  Britain,  and  as  a  British  Statesman,  have  ^  re- 
mained till  death'  its  advocate  and  patron. 

^*  Your  liberal  donation  indeed  to  the  Anglo-Chinese 
College,  shows  that  you  patronize  endeavours  to  cul- 
tivate Chinese  literature,  and  to  forward  Hhe  best  of 
causes.'  Many  thanks  to  you  for  the  order  for  500 
dollars  on  Davidson  and  Co.,  which  has  been  pre- 
sented and  honoured;  that  sum,  I  will  apply  to  the 
use  of  the  Institution.  Dr.  Milne's  death  is  a  great 
loss  to  it.  There  are  about  fifteen  students  in  it  under 
the  care  of  a  Mr.  Humphreys.  If  spared  till  March, 
1823, 1  am  going  down  to  see  what  is  doing,  and  to 
arrange  its  affairs  for  the  future.  Had  not  my  friend 
died,  I  purposed  to  have  gone  to  England  this  season. 

"  The  American  case  of  homicide  was  followed  by 
one  that  interested  us  all  so  nearly,  and  has  occupied 
me  so  impleasantly,  I  cannot  without  pain  refer  to 
either  of  them.  My  friend  Urmston,  I  believe,  gave 
you  the  details  in  both  cases.  The  Chinese  Govern- 
ment expect  an  answer  from  England,  after  a  due 
time  has  elapsed,  concerning  the  ^  lin-tin  affidr.'  I 
am  at  a  loss  to  surmise  what  the  British  Government 
will  do.  To  do  or  say  nothing,  seems  a  dereliction  of 
duty  towards  the  Company  and  the  country,  but  what 
can  they  do  1    That  question,  I  cannot  answer. 

*^  His  Imperial  Majesty  has  of  late  published  very 
little  of  his  own  in  the  Peking  Gazettes ;  they  have 
been  very  uninteresting  to  foreigners,  during  the  last 
year. 

^^  He  seems  to  give  himself  but  little  trouble  about 


1822.]  TO  SIR  Q.  T.  STAUNTON.  175 

the  GoYeminent.  Che-taou*  is  the  common  reply  at 
the  moment,  and  the  subjects  reported  to  him  are 
briefly  dismissed  afterwards. 

'^  There  are  two  or  three  English  ships  on  the  coast, 
smii^liug  opimn  into  China.  The  Hoppo  has  pub- 
lished two  orders  requiring  the  English  Chief  to 
order  them  into  port.  This  is  a  traffic  which  is  far 
from  being  reputable  either  to  the  English  fli^,  or  to 
the  character  of  Christendom. 

"  Continue,  my  dear  Sir  George,  to  honour  me 
with  a  letter  occasionally,  and  tell  me  all  you  hear  or 
read  about  Chinese.     Wishing  you  every  blessing, 

"  I  remain  very  faithfully  your's, 

"  Robert  Morbison." 

TO  THE  SABfE. 

"Canton,  China,  Nov.  15th,  1822. 

^^  Dbab  Sm  Oeorqe, 

"  I  write  this  in  Consequa's  packing-house,  having 
been  burnt  out  of  our  Factories  on  the  2nd  instant. 
Alas!  year  after  year  calamities  assail  us.  The 
homicides  of  last  season,  and  the  fire  of  Canton 
suburbs  this!  Sir  William  estimates  the  Company's 
loss  by  the  fire  at  one  million  sterling. 

"  On  Friday  evening,  about  nine  o'clock,  the  fire 
broke  out  at  a  cake-baker's  shop,  about  a  mile 
north  of  our  Factories.  Urmston,  Fraser,  and  Erskine 
of  Penang,  and  some  others,  watched  its  approach 
all  Friday  night,  and  towards  morning,  papers  and 
other  valuable  moveable  articles  were  put  on  board 
boats  in  the  river.  At  daybreak,  or  rather  before  it, 
I  wrote   appeals  in  Chinese  to  the  government  to 

*  I  know. 


176  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1822. 

set  the  military  and  police  to  pull  down  the  houses. 
Two  open  papers  were  sent  in  different  directions 
to  Mandarins  at  the  fire;  and  I  took  a  sealed  one 
to  the  city-gate,  addressed  to  the  Governor  him- 
self; they  produced  no  effect,  and  he  has  since 
denied  that  he  read  the  document.  About  eight 
o'clock  on  Saturday  morning,  a  north-east  gale  blew 
the  flames  with  awful  fury  against  our  Factories,  and 
rendered  ineffectual  all  exertions  to  mitigate  their 
destructive  force.  We  were  soon  driven  to  the  riyer 
side  by  the  rapid  progress  of  fire  and  smoke,  and  the 
alarming  crash  of  falling  roofs  and  other  ruins. 

"  The  wind  came  more  to  the  eastward,  and  carried 
the  flames  away  to  the  west  with  frightful  rapidity 
over  China  Street,  through  Chung-qua,  Pwan,  and 
Mowqua's  Factories,  away  along  the  banks  of  the  river, 
and  onward  to  the  fields  opposite  to  the  Hwa-t§^ — ^the 
fire  stopped  not  till  there  was  nothing  more  to  burn 
in  that  direction — ^thousands  of  shops  and  houses,  and 
scores  of  people,  were  burnt  and  destroyed.  All 
Saturday  night,  fasting,  fatigued,  and  with  an  aching 
head,  Erskin,  Sir  William,  Captain  Welstead,  a 
Mr.  Rutherfurd  from  India,  and  I,  were  crowded 
together  in  an  open  country  boat,  which  Captain 
Drummond  had  hired,  and  filled  with  what  he  could 
save.  During  Saturday  night,  the  flames  extending 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  east  to  west,  asso- 
ciated with  the  idea  of  human  suffering  induced 
thereby,  partly  from  the  elements,  and  partly  from 
cruel  plundering  bandits,  presented  to  the  eye  and 
the  mind  a  most  terrific  and  afilicting  scene.  The 
last  crash  heard  late  on  Saturday  night,  was  the  falling 
in  of  the  Dutch  Verandah. 

"  The  rising  sun  of  November  3rd  (Sunday  morn- 
ing)  exhibited   to  the  burnt-out   foreigners   a  most 


1822.]       FROM  THE  LOTIDON  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY.  177 

melancholy  spectacle  in  the  ruins  of  the  Factories  all 
smoking  and  burning. 

"  Urmston's  terrace  did  not  fall  till  eight  or  nine 
o^clock  on  Sunday  morning. 

"  This  is  the  most  calamitous  visitation  of  God  on 
this  wealthy  profligate  city  that  has  occurred  since 
the  Tartar  conquest ;  it  was  not  exceeded  by  the  fire 
of  London,  1666.  Farewell !  My  dear  Sir  George, 
Gh>d  bless  you ! 

"  Your's  sincerely, 

"  Robert  Morrison." 


FROM  THE  LONDON  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY  TO  THE 

REV.  DR.  MORRISON. 

■ 

"  Dear  Broiher,       "London,  December  13th,  1822. 

"  We  wrote  to  you  under  date  of  September  the  3rd, 
since  which  we  have  received  a  letter  from  Mr.  Ince, 
of  Penang,  stating  that  he  had  received  a  note  from 
Hjb  Excellency  Governor  Phillips,  communicating 
the  afflictive  intelligence  of  the  decease  of  Dr.  Milne, 
about  the  27th  of  May. 

"  The  Directors,  presuming  that  you  may  visit  Ma- 
lacca upon  being  apprized  of  the  above  melancholy 
event,  address  this  letter  to  you  at  that  settlement,  the 
object  of  it  having  relation  to  the  principal  business 
of  the  mission  there,  viz.  the  completion  of  the  i>rinting 
of  the  Chinese  version  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures.  The 
Directors  being  solicitous  that  no  delay  should  take 
place  in  this  important  work,  will  be  happy  to  learn 
that,  in  concurrence  with  the  other  members  of  the 
Ultra-Ganges  Mission  Union,  you  have  been  able  to 
make  such  a  provisional  arrangement  at  Malacca,  to 
secure  this  object,  as  will  be  likely  to  accomplish  the 
desired  end. 

Vol.  n.  n 


178  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1822. 

"  On  the  gupposition  that  it  might  not  have  con- 
sisted with  the  arrangements  you  had  made  with  a 
view  to  your  proposed  visit  to  Europe,  to  remain  at 
Malacca  to  superintend  the  printing  of  the  remaining 
part  of  the  Chinese  Sacred  Scriptures  yourself,  the 
Directors,  in  letters  addressed  to  the  brethren  at  that 
station,  and  also  to  those  at  Batavia,  have  intimated 
their  acquiescence  in  the  removal  of  Mr.  Medhurst 
from  the  latter  station  to  Malacca,  to  take  upon  him 
that  superintendence,  as  a  provisional  measure,  should 
this  arrangement  have  been  deemed  necessary,  or  de- 
sirable, by  the  brethren  of  the  Ultra-Ganges  Mission 
Union,  Mr.  Medhurst  being  not  only  qualified  by  his 
acquaintance  with  the  Chinese  language,  but  also  by 
his  knowledge  of  the  business  of  the  printing  establish- 
ment, for  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  that  office. 
Should,  however,  any  other  arrangement  have  been 
made,  that  has  your  concurrence,  and  that   of  the 
brethren  at  Malacca,  &c.,  and  which  is  likely  to  secure 
the  due  attainment  of  the  object,  the  Directors  will 
be  disposed  to  pay  the  proper  respect  to  the  motives 
and  local  information,  as  well  as  judgment,  which 
may  have  led  to  its  adoption,  it  being  merely  their 
wish,  that  the  conduct  of  so  important  a  work  should 
in  no  respect  be  liable  to  the  charge  of  neglect,  and 
that  it  should  be  executed  in  the  best  possible  man- 
ner of  which  the  circumstances  will  admit. 

^*  As  the  Directors  have  been  informed  by  Dr. 
Milne,  in  a  letter  transmitted  from  Singapore,  under 
date  of  the  7th  of  last  March,  that  he  had  at  that 
time  revised  for  the  press,  the  whole  of  his  own  ver- 
sion of  the  Old  Testament,  except  the  Book  of  Judges, 
and  part  of  the  2nd  Book  of  Chronicles,  they  have 
judged  it  proper  to  intimate  to  the  brethren  at  Malacca, 
and  also  to  Mr.  Medhurst,  that,  should  the  revision 


1822.]       FROM  THB  LONDON  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY.  179 

of  these  parts  not  have  been  executed  by  Dr.  Milne 
(which  is  not  likely),  it  is  the  wish  of  the  Directors 
diat  they  should  remain  in  the  state  in  which  they 
were  left  by  Dr.  Milne,  until  they  have  received  in- 
structions on  the  subject,  either  from  the  Directors  or 
yourself. 

"  The  Directors  deeply  feeling  the  incalculable  loss 
which  the  Society  has  sustained  by  the  afflictive  event 
that  has  given  rise  to  the  present  letter,  cannot  be  in- 
sensible to  the  personal  loss  which  you,  dear  Sir,  have 
also  sustained  by  the  death  of  Dr.  Milne,  a  friend  so 
afiectionate  and  invaluable,  a  coadjutor  so  well  and  so 
variously  qualified,  and  so  extensively  efficient  in  his 
labours.  Our  loss,  however,  is  his  gain,  and  an  addi- 
tional consideration  is,  that  He  who  has  removed  him 
from  this  world,  and  from  so  important  a  field  of  use- 
fulness, can  at  pleasure  supply  what  appears  to  the 
eye  of  sense,  an  almost  irreparable  loss. 

"  The  Directors  hope  you  will  be  enabled  to  adopt 
some  arrangement  respecting  the  orphan  children  of 
Dr.  Milne. 

**  Wc  need  not  add,  that  the  Directors  and  every 
member  of  our  Society,  as  well  as  the  whole  Mis- 
sionary community  here,  will  rejoice  to  hear  that  you 
are  safely  landed  on  the  British  shores,  and  that  all  of 
us  who  are  honoured  as  instruments  in  managing  the 
important  concerns  of  the  Society,  will  be  prepared  to 
receive  you  with  the  most  affectionate  and  Christian 
cordiality.  With  sentiments  of  high  esteem  and  re- 
gard, we  are  (in  behalf  of  the  Directoi-s), 

"  Dear  Sir,  very  truly  and  affectionately  your's, 

"  William  Alers  Hankey,  Treasurer. 

^^  George  Burder,  Secretary." 


N  2 


180  A  REVIEW  OF  THE  FIRST  FIFTEEN  TEARS        [1822. 

A  REVIEW 

OF  THE  FIRST  FIFTEEN  YEARS  OF  THE  MISSION. 

In  a  Letter  addressed  to  W,  A,  Hankey^  Esq,^  Treasurer  to 

the  Missionary  Society, 

«  Sir,  "  Canton,  November  12th,  1822. 

"  If  life  and  health  be  granted  me  till  February 
next,  I  purpose  to  leave  China  for  a  season,  and  to 
visit  my  brethren  and  fellow-servants  of  the  Ultra- 
Oanges  Mission.  That  will  be  the  first  time,  during 
fifteen  years,  of  my  leaving  the  shores  of  China.  My 
late  brother  Dr.  Milne  has  taken  a  retrospect  of  the 
first  ten  years  of  our  mission,  and  now,  when  about  to 
leave  this  place,  I  cannot  help  looking  back  again  on 
the  past.  Many  of  the  topics  in  reference  to  friends, 
and  kindred,  and  domestic  concerns,  which  deeply 
interest  my  heart,  on  a  review  of  the  past  years  of  my 
abode  in  this  pagan  land,  are  not  proper  to  introduce 
here.  I  wish  only  to  answer  one  question  which  I 
put  to  myself,  and  which  other  people  sometimes  ask : 
*  And  pray  what  have  you  done  in  those  fifteen  years 
to  promote  the  diffiision  of  Christianity  1 '  To  afford 
an  answer  is  necessary  to  disarm  the  hostile  cavils  of 
some ;  to  re-animate  the  desponding  hearts  of  others ; 
and  to  excite  gratitude  to  God  our  Saviour,  for  what 
he  hath  wrought. 

"  It  must  always  be  remembered  that  in  human 
operations,  means  are  necessary  to  effect  the  end 
aimed  at,  and  the  Almighty  himself  is  pleased  gene- 
rally to  employ  means  that  gradually  bring  about  the 
final  end. 

"  The  end  designed  to  itself  by  the  Missionary 
Society  is,  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  the  Heathen,  and 
convert  the  natives  from  Satan  to  God.  To  effect  this 
end,  a  knowledge  of  languages   is  an  indispensable 


1822.]  OF  THE  CHINESE  MISSION.  181 

means.  Truth  must  be  clearly  exhibited  to  men's 
understandings,  either  by  writing  or  speaking,  or  by 
both  these  modes  unitedly.  As  this  is  done  more  or 
less  lucidly  by  preachers,  different  effects  are  seen; 
some  are  more  successful  in  convincing  and  convert- 
ing sinners,  than  others,  who  to  all  human  appearance 
are  equally  sincere  and  devoted.  This  fact  is  daily 
seen  in  Christendom,  and  it  is  strikingly  exemplified 
recently  in  the  Sandwich  Islands. 

"  When  the  Missionary  Society  commenced  the 
Chinese  Mission,  England  was  behind  all  the  rest  of 
the  European  nations  in  the  knowledge  of  Chinese, 
and  had  no  help  for  acquiring  that  language.  But 
subsequently,  by  the  Missionary  Society's  servant, 
and  by  the  Honourable  East  India  Company's  funds, 
England  has  advanced  so,  in  this  particular,  that  at 
this  day  she  has  better  assistance  for  acquiring  Chinese, 
than  any,  or  all  of  the  European  nations.  Let  Dr. 
Montucci,  a  venerable  sinalogue,  be  witness.  *  I  am 
free  to  assert  that  Dr.  Morrison,  within  these  ten  years, 
has  published  volumes  by  far  more  useful  to  the  Eu- 
ropean student,  than  all  the  printed  and  MS.  works 
published  by  the  Missionaries  in  the  course  of  the  last 
century.*  Dresden,  December  22,  1821.  M.  Re- 
musat  of  Paris,  says,  *  Le  Dictionarie  Chinois- Anglais 
du  Docteur  Morrison  scroit  incomparablement  pr6^ 
ferable  a  tout  autre.' 

"  None  can  well  perceive  the  utility  of  such  helps, 
who  has  never  experienced,  as  I  did,  the  difficulties 
arising  from  a  want  of  them. 

"  In  the  Anglo-Chinese  College  at  Malacca,  there 
is  now  collected  in  one  point,  every  assistance,  con- 
sisting in  books,  and  teachers,  and  perfect  freedom 
and  leisure,  to  acquire  speedily  a  knowledge  of  the 
Chinese    language;    their    literature;    religion    and 


182  A  REVIEW  OF  THE  FIRST  FIFTEEN  TEARS       [1822. 

philosophy ;  whereby  a  devoted  servant  of  any  Chris- 
tian church,  may  qualify  himself,  with  God's  bless- 
ing, to  go  forth  and  preach  to  the  understandings  and 
the  hearts  of  thousands  amongst  the  Chinese  colonists 
of  the  Archipelago. 

"Since  the  Anglo-Chinese  College  plan  preceded 
the  Serampore  College,  and  the  Episcopal  Mission 
College  at  Calcutta,  there  is  reason  to  believe,  that 
our  zeal  in  this  cause,  provoked  others  to  a  similar 
labour  of  benevolence. 

"  The  Honourable  Company's  press  at  Macao,  has 
emboldened  the  New  Portuguese  Government  on  that 
settlement  to  establish  a  press,  and  they  venture  to 
print  and  publish  Chinese  news.     The  diffusion  of 
knowledge  is  favourable  to  true  Christianity — and  it 
is  reciprocally  favourable  to  the  difKision  of  knowledge. 
"  Dr.  Montucci  has  traced  the  progressive  attention 
of  Europe  to  Chinese  literature,  from  the  first  work  on 
this  subject,  viz. — *  Martini  Atlas  Sinicus,'     Amste- 
lodam,  1655,  to  Fourmont's  Grammar  in  1742  (Mon- 
tucci's  Parallel,  p.  84) ;  since  which  time,  till  within 
the  last  twenty  years,  little  had  been  added  to  the 
former  stock  of  knowledge  on  the  subject.  But  Europe 
is  again  roused  to  apply  more  mind  to  the  subject. 
Remusat's  ^  Chung-yung'  and  Grammar,  lately  pub- 
lished, are  superior  to  any  thing  that  had  before  been 
printed  in  Europe.     And  I  trust,  England  will  never 
again  be  destitute  of  a  few  of  her  sons,  who  shall  have 
a  thorough  acquaintance  with  the  Chinese  langui^e, 
and  who  shall  employ  it  in  preaching  Christ's  Gospel, 
and   in  teaching  the  natives  of  this  vast  Empire  to 
observe  whatever  He  commanded. 

"  When  the  London  Missionary  Society's  servant 
first  arrived  in  China,  Englishmen  had  no  minister  of 
religion  here.     Dr.  Milne  first  expounded  the  Scrip- 


1822.]  OF  THE  CHINESE  MISSION.  183 

tures  in  his  own  room  at  Canton,  to  a  few  persons  who 
assembled  to  hear  him.  I  next  delivered  a  few  lectures 
at  Macao— but  now  in  China,  where  Lord  Macartney 
would  not  venture  to  take  a  chaplain  in  his  Embassy, 
Divine  Service  is  regularly  performed  on  the  Sabbath- 
day  by  a  person  sanctioned  by  all  the  British  authori- 
ties. A  religious  Tract,  addressed  to  British  sailors, 
has  been  composed  and  printed  in  China;  and  on 
December  8th,  1822,  the  Bethel  Flag  was  hoisted,  and 
a  sermon  preached  on  the  deck  of  the  *  Pacific,'  to  the 
English  and  American  sailors,  at  Whampoa  Reach, 
where  annually,  from  2000  to  3000  seamen  go  and 
come — and  where,  on  an  average,  not  less  than  100 
annually  die. 

"There  are  a  few  natives  on  whose  conscience 
divine  truth  has  made  an  impression;  the  seed  has 
been  sown,  I  trust  it  has  taken  root ;  may  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  God  water  it,  and  cause  it  to  increase,  and 
eventually  bring  forth  much  fruit ! 

"  Dr.  Milne's  Chinese  Tracts  and  Village  Sermons, 
enable  him,  though  dead,  to  speak  still  to  Chinese 
Catechists,  and  Catechumens — Preachers,  and  Neo- 
phytes. 

"  The  New  Testament,  the  words  of  the  New  Cove- 
nant of  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  is  in  the  hands  of  some 
Chinese ;  and  speaks  to  them  in  their  mother-tongue 
*  the  wonderful  works  of  God.' 

"  There  are  now  Chinese  Missionaries  at  Java,  at 
Penang,  and  on  Singapore. 

"  This  is  our  brief  reply  to  the  question,  ^  What 
have  ye  done  T  May  God  forgive  the  imperfections  of 
our  service,  and  *  glorify  his  holy  name,  which  is  pro- 
faned among  the  heathen ;'  and  may  they  soon  know 
that  he  is  the  Lord — Jehovah  our  righteousness.  He 
is  God  alone,  and  beside  him  there  is  no  Saviour. 


184  A  REVIEW  OF  THE  FIRST  FIFTEEN  TEARS        [1822. 

"  The  Bethel  Flag  was  to  have  been  hoisted  on  the 
3rd  instant.  Mr.  Olyphant  (an  American  Christian, 
an  elder  of  the  church  in  New  York,  of  which  Dr. 
Mason  was  pastor)  was  preparing  the  house  of  God, 
and  peace-emblem,  dove-banner ;  and  had  issued 
public  notice,  that  I  would  preach  to  the  sailors; 
when,  on  Friday  evening,  the  1st  instant,  a  fire  broke 
out  on  the  west  side  of  Canton,  about  a  mile  north  of 
the  European  Factories,  in  a  Cake-baker's  shop.  The 
fire  increased  and  spread  all  the  night  of  the  1st,  and 
before  the  close  of  Saturday,  the  2nd,  all  the  foreign 
Factories  were  entirely  or  partially  consumed.  On 
Saturday  night  and  Sunday  morning,  the  fire  spread 
to  the  westward,  along  the  banks  of  the  river,  at 
least  a  mile  and  a  half,  and  did  not  cease  in  that 
direction  till  there  were  no  more  houses  to  bum — 
thousands  of  Chinese  shops  and  houses  were  de- 
stroyed, and  millions  of  property,  in  a  few  hours, 
reduced  to  ashes.  Some  estimate  the  loss  of  the  En- 
glish East  India  Company  at  one  million  sterling. 
The  furious  and  devouring  fire,  the  anxious  crowds  of 
clamorous  houseless  fugitives  running,  bearing  their 
efiects  from  the  flames,  with  drawn  swords  to  defend 
them — hard-hearted  banditti,  plundering  the  weak, 
cutting  down  and  trampling  to  death  the  strong-— pre- 
sented an  awful  and  afflicting  scene. 

"  This  has  been  one  of  the  severest  visitations  of 
God  to  punish  this  wealthy,  and  depraved,  and  idola- 
trous city,  which  has  occurred  in  the  memory  of  man — 
perhaps  never  since  the  last  Tartar  conquest  did  it 
suffer  so  much. 

^*  I  write  this  in  a  Chinese  warehouse,  to  which, 
for  the  time  being,  we  have  removed,  and  are  but 
just  recovering  from  the  consternation  .into  which  we 
were  thrown  twelve  days  ago. 


1822.]  OF  THE  CHINESE  MISSION.  185 

"  A  hundred  pounds  worth  of  paper,  which  I  had 
prepared  to  send  to  Malacca,  for  a  new  edition  of  the 
Testament,  has  been  burnt. 

"  Dr.  Milne's  four  orphan  children  have  left  Ma- 
lacca, and  are  on  their  way  to  England.  Our  late  fel- 
low servant  wished  that  his  orphans  might  be  sup- 
ported by  the  property  he  left ;  but  I  hear  from  Mr. 
Humphries  and  Mr.  Huttmann  that  it  is  inadequate. 

"  I  purpose  to  adopt  as  my  son  the  boy  Robert, 
and  bring  him  up  with  my  own  son  and  daughter; 
and  I  beg  to  submit  it  to  the  consideration  of  the 
Christians  in  Britain,  who  possess  a  competence,  whe- 
ther or  not  the  practice  of  adopting  an  orphan  child  of 
those  who  have  died  abroad  in  their  Lord's  service,  is 
not  one  of  the  most  efficient  modes  of  providing  for 
the  orphans,  and  of  showing  the  reality  of  the  indivi- 
dual's love  to  the  Saviour.  *  Inasmuch  as  ye  have 
done  it  to  one  of  the  least  of  these,  ye  have  done 
it  unto  me.'  True  charity  is  accompanied  by  personal 
inconvenience  and  care,  which  money  cannot  buy. 

"  As  the  Honourable  Company's  ship  *  Regent '  has 
not  yet  arrived,  I  have  not  yet  received  any  letters 
from  the  Directors  for  this  season,  nor  the  box  of 
books  which  I  am  informed  is  there  shipped. 

"  I  enclose  the  accounts  for  the  year  1822.  May 
the  blessing  of  God  Almighty,  the  Father,  the  Son, 
and  Spirit,  rest  upon  you,  and  upon  your  fellow-ser- 
vants who  conduct  the  home  affairs  of  the  Missionary 
Society.  "  I  remain,  &c., 

"  R.  Morrison." 

Dr.  Morrison  having  made  arrangements  to  visit 
Malacca,  embarked  on  the  17th  of  January,  1823; 
and  on  the  29th  of  the  same  month  landed  at  Singa- 
pore, then  a  newly  formed  English  settlement,  on  the 


186  ARRANGEMENTS,  &C.  [1822. 

Malayan  Archipelago.  By  the  Lieutenant-Governor, 
Sir  T.  Stamford  Raffles,  Dr.  Morrison  was  cordially 
received.  On  many  subjects  their  views  coincided, 
and  for  the  moral  condition  of  their  fellow-creatures  in 
these  benighted  regions,  both  were  alike  solicitous. 
And,  had  Sir  S.  Raffles's  liberal  and  benevolent  mea- 
sures met  with  the  support  which  they  merited,  his 
administration  would,  doubtless,  have  been  rendered  a 
blessing  to  those  colonies  over  which  his  authority 
extended.  Sir  Stamford  immediately  availed  himself 
of  Dr.  Morrison's  presence,  to  secure  his  co-operation 
in  a  plan  which  he  had  then  in  contemplation  for  the 
benefit  of  this  colony,  and  the  Malayan  tribes  con- 
nected with  it.  The  result  of  their  conference  was, 
the  formation  of  an  Institution  similar  to  the  one  esta- 
blished at  Malacca ;  but  as  Malacca  was  then  under 
the  Dutch  government,  it  was  deemed  expedient  to 
remove  the  Anglo-Chinese  College  from  thence,  and 
to  unite  both  Seminaries  under  the  general  title  of  the 
^^ Singapore  Institution  ;'  at  the  same  time,  each  de- 
partment to  preserve  its  distinct  character.  After  the 
preliminary  arrangements  were  agreed  upon,  a  meet- 
ing of  the  principal  inhabitants  was  convened,  and  a 
copious  minute,  by  Sir  Stamford  Raffles,  on  the  sub- 
ject of  a  Malayan  College  at  Singapore,  was  read. 
Also  a  paper,  by  Dr.  Morrison,  containing  suggestions 
relative  to  the  union  of  the  two  Colleges.  These  docu- 
ments. Sir  Stamford  proposed  placing  on  the  records 
of  the  Institution,  "to  show,  not  only  the  objects, 
and  views  of  the  founders  of  the  Singapore  Institu- 
tion, as  now  adopted,  but  the  progress  by  which  its  esta- 
blishment was  brought  about."  The  meeting  was  then 
addressed  by  the  late  Rev.  Mr.  Hutchings  of  Penang, 
who,  referring  to  Dr.  Morrison's  labours,  observed, 
"  To  relate  the  difficulties  which  have  been  overcome 


1822.]     RESPECTING  THE  SINGAPORE  INSTITUTION.  187 

— ^the  acquisitions  that  have  been  made  in  the  extra- 
ordinaiy  language  of  that  extraordinary  people  ;  and 
how  much  has  been  done  to  lighten  the  labours  of 
future  students  of  the  language  and  ideas  of  the  Chi- 
nese—would be  a  subject  gratifying  to  my  feelings ; 
but  I  refrain,  because  this  detail  would  relate  to  what 
my  highly  esteemed  friend  has  happily  effected  in 
these  pursuits,  and  it  would  be  little  pleasing  to  him 
whilst  he  is  here  present.     But,  indeed,  it  is  unneces- 
sary to  trespass  on  the  feelings  of  one  who  seeks  for 
that  approbation  which  men  cannot  bestow ;  because 
that  he  has  accomplished  much — ^is  known  in  every 
quarter  of  the  globe."    Respecting  the  Singapore  In- 
stitution,  Mr.  Hutchings  remarks,  "  It  may,  in  the 
hand  of  Providence,  be  one  of  the  instruments  by 
which  he  will  accomplish  the  prediction,   ^that   the 
knowledge  of  the  Lord  shall  cover  the  earth  as  the 
waters  cover  the  sea.'     Whatever  good  you  strive  to 
impart  to  others  will  not  lose  its  reward,  for  you  are 
servants  of  that  gracious  Master  who  has  been  pleased 
to  animate  your  benevolence  to  your  fellow-creatures, 
by  the  assurance  of  his  favourable  acceptance,  and 
that  he  will  receive,  whatever  you  do  to  them,  as  if  it 
were  done  unto  himself."     Dr.  Morrison   then   rose 
and  made  the  following  remarks. 

"  The  state  of  our  British  ancestors,  eighteen  hun- 
dred years  ago,  compared  with  their  present  state,  is 
frequently  brought  forwards  (and  I  think  conclu- 
sively), to  disprove  the  allegation,  that  all  attempts  to 
improve  the  intellectual  and  moral  condition  of  man 
are  visionary,  and  must  end  in  disappointment.  It  is 
true,  that,  since  health  is  uncertain,  and  life  is  short, 
the  efforts  of  an  individual  being  soon  intermitted, 
produce  but  little  effect,  and  therefore  it  becomes 
desirable  in   our  plans  of  usefulness  to  unite  many 


188  SPEECH  AT  THE  FORMATION  [1823. 

persons  who  shall  assist  each  other,  and  gradually 
attach  more  friends  to  succeed  them,  when  they  shall 
be  required,  by  the  great  Sovereign  of  the  universe, 
to  remove  to  other  worlds. 

"  The  Singapore  Institution  is  entering  on  a  new 
and  extensive  field  of  labour,  which  will  require  the 
united  efforts  of  many  persons  (it  may  be  for  centuries 
to  come)  before  the  anticipated  harvest  of  those  who 
sow  the  seed,  shall  be  fully  reaped. 

^^  Some  men  will  not  plant  a  tree  because  it  cannot 
attain  its  proper  size  in  their  lifetime  ;  but  the  tree  of 
knowledge  which  we  would  plant,  is  not  for  our  indi- 
vidual use  alone,  it  is  for  the  healing  of  the  nations 
around  us.  Knowledge  is  not  virtue ;  but  knowledge 
is  power,  and  should  always  be  possessed  by  the  vir- 
tuous to  enable  them  to  do  good  to  others.  Although 
knowledge  may  be  abused,  and  employed  for  bad  pur- 
poses, it  is,  generally  speaking,  a  positive  good  to  the 
possessor — a  good  which  few,  or  none,  who  ever  pos- 
sessed it  would  willingly  forego.  I  assume  this  as 
true  of  knowledge  generally — ^whilst  I  maintain  fur- 
ther, that  there  are  some  parts  of  knowledge  that  are 
of  infinite  value.  ^  It  is  life  eternal  to  know  the  only 
true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  he  hath  sent.'  ^  The 
life  eternal '  implies  an  eternity  of  unmixed  happiness, 
at  an  infinite  distance  from  every  ill.  That  the  Sin- 
gapore Institution  may  tend  to  this  result,  in  millions 
of  instances,  is,  I  believe,  in  the  contemplation  of  those 
who  have  originated  it. 

^^  Science  and  philosophy  cannot,  at  the  present 
day,  be  said  to  flourish  any  where  but  in  Christen- 
dom. True  religion  is  favourable  to  true  philosophy, 
and  true  philosophy  is  the  handmaid  of  true  religion — 
and  it  is  manifest  that  it  must  be  so,  for  Nature  and 
Revelation  are  derived  from  the  same  almighty  Agent. 


1823.]  OP  THE  SINGAPORE  INSTITUTION.  189 

To  the  lovers  of  physical  science,  and  of  natural  his- 
toiy,  in  all  their  ever-varied  and  unceasingly  interest- 
ing details,  the  islands  of  the  Archipelago,  and  the 
continental  nations  of  eastern  Asia,  to  which  the  Sin- 
gapore Institution  directs  its  attention,  furnish  ample 
scope  for  exertion.  By  the  union  of  the  Colleges  and 
presses  with  the  scientific  part  of  the  Institution,  faci- 
lities will  be  afibrded  to  the  enquiries  of  science,  and  of 
art,  as  well  as  of  literature,  of  moral  philosophy,  and 
of  religion.  Here  native  Missionaries  of  science  may 
be  educated  and  sent  forth  to  investigate,  in  the  sur- 
rounding countries,  the  productions  of  Nature  in  all 
their  diversity  of  form,  and  to  describe  them  in  a 
scientific  manner. 

"  Why  should  it  be  thought  impossible  that  natural 
history,  that  botany,  that  mineralogy,  and  other  de- 
partments of  science,  may  be  thus  greatly  enriched 
by  stores  brought  from  sources,  to  which  Europeans 
can  have  no  access  1  If  this  shall  one  day  be  the 
result,  will  not  the  arts  and  manufactures,  and  com- 
merce also,  be  greatly  benefited  ? 

"  It  is  likely  that  medical  science,  too,  will  be  im- 
proved by  the  efforts  of  the  Singapore  Institution. 
Are  not  many  of  our  most  useful  remedies  obtained 
from  foreign  climes  ?  and  why  should  we  deem  that, 
in  this  department,  we  have  attained  perfection,  or 
that  nothing  else  is  to  be  obtained  ? 

"  Our  Institution  regards  man  as  he  really  is — as  a 
compound  being,  as  neither  all  body  nor  all  mind, 
but  as  made  up  of  both,  and  as  related  both  to  time 
and  to  eternity. 

"  China  I  have  taken  as  my  province,  and  to  it  I 
purpose  resolutely  to  adhere.  I  had  an  able  coadjutor, 
who  established  for  me  the  Anglo-Chinese  College. 
Would  that  he  had  been  with  us  this  day  ! — ^but  God's 


190  JOURNAL  OF  THE  VOTAGB  [1823. 

will  be  doue!  Milne  has  finished  his  labours,  and 
has  entered  into  his  rest  The  Malayan  College,  to 
which  now  we  shall  resign  the  Malayan  division  of 
the  work,  is  a  great  acquisition  to  the  general  cause ; 
and  I  rejoice  that  China  and  the  Archipelago  are 
to  be  associated  like  twin  brothers,  having  no  other 
strife  or  rivalry,  but  the  very  pardonable  one  of  trying 
which  can  be  most  useful.  The  Chinese  College  is 
indeed  the  first-bom ;  but,  like  its  brother,  is  still  an 
infant  that  requires  a  father's  care — ^for  which  kind 
office,  I  shall.  Gentlemen,  look  to  you.  And  as  sowing 
and  planting  are  inefiectual  without  alternate  sun- 
shine and  shower,  which  man  cannot  command,  but 
God  alone  give  ;  so  let  us  remember,  intellectual  and 
moral  culture  will  all  be  unavailing  without  God's 
blessing,  which  may  He  be  pleased  to  grant  on  all 
these  our  efibrts,  through  the  merits  of  our  blessed 
Redeemer,  Jesus  Christ.     Amen." 

This  meeting  was  followed  by  a  liberal  subscription ; 
and  the  officers  of  the  Institution  were  chosen.  Dr. 
Morrison  was  nominated  Vice-President,  and  also  one 
of  the  Trustees.  He  subscribed,  on  the  occasion,  up- 
wards of  1500  dollars,  besides  appropriating  consider- 
able sums  to  the  clearing  of  a  piece  of  land,  which  he 
obtained  as  a  grant  from  the  Government,  with  re- 
ference to  the  future  advantage  of  the  Mission. 
Amongst  his  papers,  are  found  some  brief  memoranda 
of  his  engagements  at  Singapore  and  Malacca,  which 
are  presented  to  the  reader  as  illustrative  of  that  energy 
of  mind,  which  enabled  him  to  accomplish  so  much, 
in  comparatively  little  time. 

VOYAGE  TO  MALACCA. 

"Jan,  17,  Friday. — I  left  Canton,  and  embarked 
on  board  the  ^  Duchess  of  Argyle,'  Captain  Harding, 


1823.]  TO  MALACCA.  191 

on  my  way  to  Malacca,  via  Singapore.  Paid  for  my 
passage,  300  dollars.  Take  with  me,  as  servants  and 
assistants,  Ayun  and  Asam.  Sept.  4,  1807,  I  arrived 
at  Macao  in  China,  and  now,  after  fifteen  years*  stay 
in  the  country,  I  am  about  to  leave  it  for  a  time.  O 
my  God,  I  am  not  worthy  of  all  the  goodness  and  the 
truth  which  thou  hast  shown  towards  me.  But  alas ! 
where  are  those  that  have  been  turned  from  Satan  to 
God !  O  that  the  slight  impression  which  appears  to 
be  made  on  some  few  minds,  may  be  deepened  and 
perpetuated,  and  passed  to  other  minds.  May  thy 
Spirit  now  go  with  me. 

"  Saturday  18. — Remained  at  Whampoa. 

"Sunday  19. — Still  at  Whampoa.  Ship  in  great 
confusion ;  dropping  down  a  few  miles. 

"  Monday  20. — Set  sail,  and  passed  the  Bogue.  At 
midnight  went  to  sea.  The  whole  of  this  week  had  a 
fair  wind.  Thursday  and  Friday,  saw  the  coast  of 
Ck>chin-China ;  Friday  morning,  passed  the  Holland's 
bank,  without  knowing  exactly  our  situation. 

"  Sunday  26. — Read  prayers  and  preached  a  ser- 
mon from  the  ^  House  of  Israel,'  &c.,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  20. 
Passengers,  officers,  and  seamen,  made  about  twenty 
people.  Afterwards  spoke  to  a  party  of  Chinese,  per- 
suading them  to  a  speedy  reform  of  conscious  wicked- 
ness, from  a  consideration  of  the  shortness,  or  rather 
uncertainty,  of  life. 

"Jan.  29. — Arrived  at  Singapore,  and  was  immedi- 
ately introduced  to  Sir  Thomas  Stamford  Raffles,  who 
soon  entered  on  the  subject  of  a  School,  or  College, 
for  the  Malays,  and  other  tribes  of  men  in  the  Indian 
Archipelago.  He  wished  much  that  the  Anglo-Chi- 
nese College  should  be  removed  to  Singapore.  And 
we  came  to  an  understanding,  that  it  would  be  expe- 
dient to  establish  a  place  of  education  which  might 


192  JOURNAL  OF  A  VOYAGE  [1823. 

be  called  *  The  Singapore  Institution ;'  consisting  of 
the  Anglo- Chinese  College,  and  a  Malay  College,  each 
independent  in  its  peculiar  department,  but  under  one 
general  direction  and  management.  Colonel  Farquhar 
approved  of  the  plan. 

"  Feb.  1. — Evening  of  Saturday,  left  Singapore,  and 
on  Tuesday  4th,  arrived  at  Malacca.  Captain  Harding 
accompanied  me  on  shore.  The  Rev.  James  Hum- 
phreys came  off  to  the  ship  for  me.  On  shore,  I 
found  the  Rev.  David  Collie  and  Mr.  G.  H.  Hutt- 
mann,  printer. 

"The  College  and  the  native  students  gave  me 
great  satisfaction.  The  Chinese  youths  sang  the  100th 
Psalm,  to  Luther's  tune.  It  was  composed  in  Chinese 
by  my  former  assistant  K6-Seen-sang.  Finding  the 
good  use  which  had  been  made  by  my  dear  William 
of  my  books  in  Chinese,  and  of  my  funds,  and  the 
freedom  of  worshipping  the  blessed  God  without  Man- 
darin interference,  altogether  produced  on  my  mind  a 
most  pleasing  effect.  Oh !  how  grateful  should  I  be ! 
The  only  drawback  to  my  satisfaction  was  the  small 
degree  of  knowledge  in  the  Chinese  language,  by  the 
Europeans  at  the  station. 

"  I  immediately  took  the  office  of  Chaplain  to  the 
College,  and  lent  my  assistance  to  Messrs.  Humphreys 
and  Collie  in  learning  Chinese.  I  hope  this  work 
will  never  cease  till  China  be  evangelized,  and  then  it 
will  be  useless.  I  am  solaced,  O  my  God  and  Father! 
O  still  pity  me,  and  sustain  my  afflicted  mind. 

"  Feb.  9. — Attended  worship  at  the  Dutch  Church. 
Mr.  Collie  preached  from  ^  Him  hath  God  exalted,' 
&c. 

"  During  the  week  I  translated  some  papers*  for  Sir 

*  Against  gambling,  and  other  illicit  practices,  which  prevailed 
to  a  great  extent  among  the  Chinese  settlers  at  Singapore. 


1623.]  TO  MALACCA.  193 

Stamfordi  conducted  Chinese  worship,  taught  Chinese, 
and  attended  to  the  aflairs  of  the  Mission  and  College. 

"  Feb.  Sunday  16. — Stayed  at  home,  and  preached 
to  the  Chinese  at  eleven  o'clock  ;  during  the  whole  of 
my  stay  at  Malacca,  I  have  had  three  services  a  day, 
in  Chinese,  on  the  Sabbath. 

"  May  24. — During  the  month  of  March  I  was 
occupied  in  teaching  the  five  senior  students;  and 
wrote  translations  and  explanations  of  words  on  slips 
of  paper,  for  the  use  of  the  boys.  During  this  month 
I  composed  and  had  printed  a  Report  of  the  College 
concerns. 

'*The  old  Mission  House  which  intercepted  the 
view,  was  pulled  down  by  my  direction,  and  a  road 
made  at  my  expense,  down  to  the  river,  through  the 
grounds. 

*^  In  April,  I  was  again  at  Singapore,  and  there 
arranged  with  Sir  Stamford  Raffles  a  plan  of  the  Sin- 
gapore Institution,  of  which  I  was  appointed  Vice- 
President. 

^^  In  May  I  returned  again  to  Malacca,  and  began 
a  translation  of  *  Joyce's  Scientific  Dialogues '  into 
Chinese,  for  the  use  of  the  College,  and  resumed  the 
tuition  of  the  senior  class,  and  two  lectures  a  day  to 
Humphreys  and  Collie.  I  compiled,  also,  a  ^  Memoir 
of  Dr.  Milne.' 

"  My  sermon  to  sailors  was  printed  at  Malacca. 

"  I  got  erected,  opposite  the  College,  a  Tablet,  with 
an  inscription  to  the  memory  of  my  dear  friend  Milne. 

'*  Have  mercy  upon  me,  O  my  God  and  Saviour, 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  and  accept  the  work  of 
my  hands,  and  prosper  thou  it ! 

"  Friday,  July  18. — Left  the  Anglo-Chinese  Col- 
lege, and  embarked  on  board  the  *  Bombay  Castle,' 
Captain  Hutchingson,  bound  to  China  by  Singapore. 

Vol.  II.  o 


194  ARRIVAL  AT  MACAO.  [1823. 

Was  on  shore  at  Singapore  two  days.  Attended  a 
meeting  of  the  Trustees  of  the  Singapore  Institution, 
on  July  23. 

'^  Aug.  8,  heing  Friday,  landed  again  in  Macao-— 
found  my  house  and  domestics  in  much  the  same  state 
as  I  had  left  them.  I  bless  the  Lord  who  preserved 
me  from  evil,  and  who  watched  over  me  in  my  going 
out  and  coming  in.     Hallelujah!'' 

The  following  notes,  which  were  appended  to  the 
Journal,  and  dated  A.  C.  College,  June  29th,  1823, 
were  probably  the  outline  of  a  sermon. 

"  Heb.  ix.  27,  28. — And  forasmuch  as  it  is  ap^ 
pointed  (by  Ood)  that  men  should  die  (but)  once  (as  the 
punishment  of  the  sin  of  the  first  man),  and  (that)  after 
death  (every  one  shall)  be  judged  (and  punished  but 
once  for  his  own  sins),  even  soj  Christ  being  once 
offered^  in  order  to  carry  away  (the  guilt  of)  the  sins  of 
many  (justice  requires  no  more  sin-offering  for  them ; 
and  therefore),  he  wiU  to  them  who  wait  for  him  appear  a 
second  time  (on  earth)  without  (dying  as)  a  sin-offering ^ 
in  order  (as  their  king  and  judge)  to  bestow  on  them 
salvation. 

"  Great  is  the  mystery  of  godliness — *  God  manifest 
in  the  flesh.'  The  unbelieving  mind  denies  that  such 
wonders  can  be  true ;  and  the  devout  mind  can,  with 
difficulty,  realize  the  astonishing  truths  implied,  stated, 
and  inferred,  in  connexion  with  the  Bible  doctrine  of 
human  Redemption.  But  it  is  a  system  which  is  true, 
and  which  has  existed  from  the  beginning. 

'^The  Tabernacle  which  Moses,  at  the  command 
of  God,  set  up  in  the  wilderness,  *  was  a  shadow  of 
heavenly  things ;'  and  of  it,  Aaron  was  the  high 
priest ;  but  we  have  a  High  Priest  who  is  set  on  the 
right  hand  of  the  throne  of  the  Majesty  in  the  heavens, 


1823.]  REFLECTIONS.  195 

a  minister  of  the  sanctuary,  and  of  the  true  tabernacle, 
which  the  Lord  hath  pitched,  and  not  man.  Tlie  in- 
ward Jewish  tabernacle,  the  holiest  of  all,  contained 
the  symbol  of  the  divine  presence,  hidden  from  the 
eyes  of  ordinary  priests  and  people  outside,  performing 
the  service  of  God,  and  directing  all  their  acts  of  wor- 
ship to  the  Shechinah. 

"  The  service  of  the  outward  tabernacle  was  a  fit  em- 
blem of  the  worship  which  men  on  earth  pay  to  the  in- 
visible Deity  in  heaven ;  and  the  Holy  of  Holies  was 
an  image  of  heaven  itself,  whither  Jesus  our  High 
Priest  hath  entered,  not  with  the  blood  of  brute  vic- 
tims, but  with  the  blood  of  that  sacrifice  which  he 
made  of  himself.  The  Jewish  high  priest  entered  into 
the  holy  place  once  every  year,  with  the  blood  of 
others;  but,  as  men  have  but  once  to  die,  for  the 
breach  of  the  first  covenant,  and  after  death  be  judged 
and  punished  but  once,  so  our  surety,  who  ofiered  the 
real  and  available  sacrifice,  need  not,  as  was  necessary 
with  the  figurative  sacrifices,  repeat  that  sacrifice.  He 
was  once  offered,  and  he  shall  appear  the  second  time 
without  dying  as  a  sin-offering — ^he  shall  appear  to 
decide  by  one  judgment,  and  final  sentence,  the  salva- 
tion of  those  who,  in  the  exercise  of  true  faith,  look 
and  wait  for  him.  This  awful  day — the  day  of  judg- 
ment— also  will  but  once  occur ;  there  is  no  transmi- 
gration of  souls ;  no  repeated  judgments.  Oh  !  how 
momentous  a  consideration !  Our  state  in  time,  fixes 
our  state  throughout  eternity. 

**  The  view  of  this  subject  should  excite  adoring  gra- 
titude, strong  consolation,  and  the  most  solemn  awe.'' 

While  at  Singapore,  Dr.  Morrison  aided,  by  his 
knowledge  and  counsels,  the  legislative  enactments  of 
Sir  S.  Raffles  for  the  suppression  of  those  vices,  which 

o  2 


196  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1823. 

the  cupidity  of  former  governments  licensed — such  as 
gambling,  slave-dealing,  &c.  As  much  of  Dr.  M/s 
correspondence  at  this  period  relates  to  circumstances 
of  deep  interest  to  the  well-being  of  a  large  popula- 
tion of  Pagans  and  Mahometans  brought  under  the 
influence  of  a  Christian  Government,  it  is  hoped  the 
following  selections  from  it,  will  not  be  considered 
superfluous. 

TO  THE  REVEREND  R.  MORRISON,  D.D. 
«  Sir,  '*  Singapore,  April  17th,  1823. 

"  The  Lieutenant-Governor  having  deemed  it  a  duty- 
incumbent  on  his  station,  to  direct  the  abolition  of  the 
Gaming  Farm  at  this  settlement,  objections  have  been 
urged  against  that  measure  on  the  assumption  that 
any  attempt  to  abolish  a  custom  so  completely  rooted 
in  the  Chinese  character,  and  so  intimately  combined 
with  all  their  ceremonies  and  festivals,  would  not  only 
give  general  dissatisfaction,  but  prove  abortive  in  its 
effects. 

"  With  the  view  of  allowing  to  these  objections  their 
due  weight,  if  they  are  justly  entitled  to  any,  or  of 
removing  them  if  otherwise,  the  Lieutenant-Governor 
is  desirous  of  availing  himself  of  such  information  as 
your  long  residence  in  China,  and  intimate  knowledge 
of  the  institutions  and  habits  of  the  people,  may  enable 
you  to  afford  on  the  subject. 

"He  in  consequence  desires  me  to  transmit  for 
your  perusal  the  enclosed  report  from  the  Magistrates, 
with  the  remarks  by  Lieutenant-Colotiel  Farquhar, 
and  to  request  that  you  will  favour  him  with  such 
information  as  you  may  possess  on  the  institutions 
and  habits  of  the  Chinese  in  their  own  country,  in 
this  respect,  and  your  opinion  in  how  far  the  British 
Government  is  called  upon,  in  consideration  of  the 


1823.]  RESPECTING  QAMBLINO,  &C.  197 

character  of  that  people,  to  relax  or  depart  from  what 
in  the  ordinary  course  would  appear  to  be  its  manifest 
duty. 

"  The  Lieutenant-Governor  desires  me  to  apologize 
for  intruding  on  your  privacy  by  this  public  reference, 
but  the  question  being  in  his  opinion  of  the  first  im- 
portance,  as  well  to  the  character  of  this  government, 
as  to  the  welfare  and  happiness  of  the  inhabitants, 
and  one  on  which  a  difference  of  opinion  has  long  and 
probably  still  continues  to  exist,  he  is  desirous  that  no 
means  should  be  left  untried  of  placing  it  in  its  just 
and  true  light. 

"  It  may  be  proper  to  notice  that  the  question  needs 
no  consideration  whatever  as  affecting  the  public  re- 
venue. The  British  Government,  on  its  establishment 
in  Java,  abolished  the  whole  of  these  revenues  to  an 
extent  of  several  lacs  of  dollars  in  the  year,  and  was 
amply  repaid  by  the  increase  of  industry  and  im- 
provement in  the  morals  of  the  people.  A  similar 
course  was  adopted  by  the  Lieutenant-Governor,  im- 
mediately on  his  assuming  charge  of  the  British  in- 
terests in  Sumatra,  as  well  as  on  the  first  establish- 
ment of  the  settlement  of  Singapore. 
"  I  have  the  honour  to  be, 

"  Sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  Nelson  Hull, 

**  Acting  Secretary.'* 

DR.  MORRISON'S  REPLY  TO  LIEUTENANT  L.  N.  HULL. 
i(  SlU  "  Singapore,  January  17th,'1823. 

"  I  have  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  letter 
of  this  morning,  requesting  in  behalf  of  the  Lieutenant- 
Governor,  such  information  as  I  may  possess  con- 
cerning Chinese  institutions  and  habits  in  reference 
to  the  vice  of  gambling,  and  my  opinion  in  how  far 


198  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1823. 

the  British  Govemmeut  in  this  place  is  called  upon 
to  relax  or  depart  from  what  would  be  its  manifest 
duty,  were  not  the  peculiar  character  of  that  people 
taken  into  consideration. 

"  In  reply  to  the  first  part  of  the  subject,  I  give 
the  following  answer,  which  according  to  the  best  of 
my  knowledge  is  the  truth : — Gambling  is  contrary  to 
the  laws  and  institutions  of  China;  and  contrary  to 
the  constant  and  universal  admonitions  of  Chinese 
moral  writers ;  and  contrary  to  the  plain  good  sense 
of  all  the  people  in  China ;  and  contrary  to  the  better 
feelings  of  gamblers  themselves.  I  never  read  or  heard 
of  a  Chinese  who  defended  gambling  on  any  occasion. 
Gambling  is  indeed  much  practised  in  China;  but 
it  has  no  more  support  from  the  laws,  institutions,  or 
opinions  of  the  people,  than  swindling,  lying,  theft,  or 
robbery;  which  lamentably  exist  to  a  considerable 
extent,  but  which  neither  the  laws  nor  the  religion  of 
China,  give  any  countenance  or  license  to. 

"It  b  a  principle  of  the  Chinese  Government, 
which  I  have  never  seen  violated,  not  to  license  what 
they  condemn  as  immoral.  His  Imperial  Majesty 
and  his  government,  condescend  to  dehort  the  people 
from  vice ;  but  never  avowedly  on  any  consideration 
license  it.  They  cannot  prevent  private  vice,  but  the 
public  law  frowns  on  it,  and  the  public  voice  is  uni- 
formly against  it.  Gambling  (like  opium-smoking), 
although  much  practised,  is  disgraceful  in  China ;  and 
the  government,  in  its  endeavours  to  suppress  these 
vices,  is  supported  by  the  conscience  and  opinion  of 
every  Chinaman.  I  know  they  glory  in  the  supe- 
riority, as  to  principle,  of  their  own  government ;  and 
scorn  the  Christian  governments  that  tolerate  these 
vices,  and  convert  them  into  a  source  of  pecuniary 
advantage  or  public  revenue.     I  believe  the  Chinese 


1823.]  RESPECTING  GAMBLING,  8cc.  190 

view  the  system  as  a  contemptible  dereliction  of  the 
duties  of  a  paternal  government,  from  a  sordid  money- 
making  spirit  in  the  rulers.  This  language  may 
appear  strong,  but  it  does  not  amount  to  the  nervous 
strength  of  Chinese  legislators  and  moralists ;  nor  to 
the  feeling  which  every  Chinese  Coolee  (though  him- 
self a  bad  man),  in  his  better  moments,  always  che- 
rishes. In  China  I  have  been  reproached  for  the 
wonted  conduct  of  the  Penaiig  Government  in  licens- 
ing opium-smoking-shops,  and  gambling-houses. 

"  As  to  the  second  part  of  the  subject,  viz.  what 
may  be  safe  and  practicable  here,  I  cannot  from  expe- 
rience speak,  as  I  do  not  know  how  far  the  good 
pagan  taste  of  the  Chinese  may  have  been  vitiated  by 
unprincipled  pseudo- Christian  indulgence,  during  for- 
mer colonial  governments.  But  I  imagine  the  num- 
ber of  Chinese  is  very  small,  that  would  not  cordially 
approve  of  legislative  enactments,  to  diminish  the  faci- 
lity and  licensed  respectability  of  gambling ;  because 
I  have  never  in  China  heard  a  person,  or  read  a  book, 
that  defended  gambling — ^it  is  always  spoken  of  with 
unqualified  reprobation. 

"  I  beg.  Sir,  that  you  will  lay  these  opinions  respect- 
fully before  the  Lieutenant-Governor,  and  also  per- 
mit me  to  refer  him  to  the  late  Dr.  Milne's  opinions 
on  the  subject  in  pages  318 — 320,  of  the  *  Retrospect,' 

which  I  send  herewith. 

"  I  am,  &c., 

"Robert  Morrison." 

Upon  Dr.  Morrison's  return  to  Malacca,  he  received 
the  following  letter  from  Sir  S.  Raffles. 

FROM  SIR  STAMFORD  RAFFLES  TO  DR.  MORRISON. 

"  My  Dear  Friend,      "  Singapore,  May  15th,  1823. 
"  I  have  duly  received  your  letter,  with  the  law 


220  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1823. 

respecting  gaming  in  China ;  Milne's  *  Retrospect '  and 
Tracts — an  order  on  your  bookseller  for  a  copy  of  your 
works — ^your  Sermons  to  Sailors,  &c.,  for  the  whole  of 
which,  accept  my  sincere  thanks. 

"  To  prevent  accidents  I  now  enclose  you  an  order 
on  the  Bookseller  for  a  copy  of  my  work  on  Java ; 
but  I  will,  nevertheless,  send  you  the  first  copy  I  can 
lay  my  hands  on.  It  is  but  a  poor  return  for  your 
valuable  works,  but  I  tender  it  with  all  humility. 

"  I  have  now  the  pleasure  to  send  you  printed 
copies  of  the  *  Regulations'  which  I  have  passed  for  the 
prevention  of  Gaming,  and  of  the  Slave  Trade,  at  Sin- 
gapore, and  I  am  happy  to  say  they  have  been  carried 
into  effect  with  very  general  satisfaction.  You  will 
see  the  use  I  have  made  of  the  Chinese  law  in  annex- 
ing it  to  the  former.  I  hope  I  am  not  intruding  too 
much  in  requesting  translations  of  both  Regulations 
under  your  superintendence.  Mr.  Thomson  is  now 
rendering  them  into  Malay,  but  it  is  to  you,  or  the 
Anglo-Chinese  College  alone,  that  we  can  look  for 
correct  translations  into  the  Chinese. 

"  I  am  sorry  the  papers  respecting  the  '  Formation 
of  the  Institution '  will  be  so  long  in  the  press,  but  we 
must  submit  to  these  delays;  and  as  my  departure 
from  this  place  is  still  uncertain,  it  will  be  of  little 
consequence.  #  *  *  * 

"I  have  the  satisfaction  to  inform  you,  that  we 
have  established  a  Boys'  School  in  the  Malay  depart- 
ment, and  that  the  ladies  of  the  settlement  have  also 
patronised  a  Girls'  School  under  Mrs.  Thomson,  with 
adequate  funds  for  all  purposes.  I  send  you  such  of 
the  papers  relative  thereto,  as  are  printed.        *       * 

"  I  enclose  for  your  perusal,  the  rough  sketch  of 
our  principles,  as  well  as  the  scale  of  punishments 
and  crimes,  and  I  entreat  of  you  to  md^e  such  ob- 


1823.]  bishop's  college.  221 

flenrations  or  suggestions  thereon  as  may  occur  to 
you.  Unfortunately  we  have  not  a  copy  of  the  Penal 
Code  of  China  here ;  should  you  have  a  spare  copy 
in  the  College,  send  it  down.  If  you  can  define  the 
punishments  attached  to  particular  crimes  more  par- 
ticularly than  I  have  done,  do  so.         #         #         # 

"  You  will  have  heard  that  Lord  Amherst  is  ap- 
pointed Governor-General. 

"  Lady  Raffles,  with  Mrs.  Flint,  her  husband,  and 
all  our  family,  unite  in  kindest  regards  to  the  ^  good 
Doctor,'  and  I  remain,  my  dear  Sir, 

"  Very  sincerely  your's, 

"  T.  S.  Raffles. 

"  I  enclose  you  a  copy  of  the  Statutes  of  the  Bishop's 
College  at  Calcutta,  m  hich  I  have  lately  received." 

Subsequently  to  the  above,  Sir  Stamford  observes, 
"  The  high  value  and  importance  of  Singapore  have 
induced  the  supreme  government  to  take  the  settle- 
ment under  their  own  protection."  Mr.  Crawford 
was  appointed  Resident  instead  of  Colonel  Farquhar, 
and  Sir  Stamford  prepared  for  his  return  to  Bencoolen, 
his  measures  having  received  the  full  approbation  of 
the  Bengal  government. 

The  following  letter  was  from  a  young  corre- 
spondent in  whose  spiritual  welfare  Dr.  Morrison  felt  a 
deep  interest — ^his  unassuming  manner  uniformly  won 
the  love  and  confidence  of  young  people — ^many  of 
whom,  were  among  the  number  of  his  correspondents. 

TO  THE  REV.  DR.  MORRISON, 

"  My  Dear  Sir,  "  Canton,  March  3rd,  1823. 

"  The  receipt  of  your  very  kind  letter  affected  me 

with  many  complicated  emotions  of  joy  and  fear— of 

joy,  at  so  strong  and  decisive  a  mark  of  your  good 

will    and   interest   in   my  concerns— of    fear,  lest  I 


202  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1823. 

should  prove  unworthy  of  your  love  and  confidence 
hereafter.  I  prayed,  however,  fervently  for  the  divine 
aid,  and  determined  from  the  hottom  of  my  heart  to 
seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness, 
making  his  glory  and  the  welfare  of  my  fellow-crea- 
tures, primary,  not  secondary,  objects  of  pursuit, 
during  the  remainder  of  my  stay  in  this  country. 
I  prosecuted  my  Chinese  studies  with  vigour  and  in- 
creased interest,  rejoicing*,  continually  in  the  hope  of 
one  day  throwing  in  my  mite  towards  the  propagation 
of  Christianity  in  this  vast  empire.  To  pass  years 
in  the  sole  accumulation  of  wealth,  had  long  appeared 
to  me  unworthy  of  a  rational  being,  and  reflection 
upon  the  uncertainty  of  himian  life  had  taught  me 
the  danger  of  deferring  to  a  future  opportunity,  those 
labours  of  love  which  our  Lord  enjoins  upon  all  his 
followers.  The  parable  of  the  rich  man  to  whom  it 
was  said,  *  Thou  fool,  this  very  night  shall  thy  soul  be 
required  of  thee,'  often  forced  itself  upon  my  remem- 
brance ;  and  the  idea  of  working  with  you  as  a  fellow- 
labourer  in  the  Lord's  vineyard,  delighted  me  more 
than  I  can  express  during  many  a  solitary  and  pen- 
si  ire  hour.  I  ardently  beseeched  the  Almighty  that 
I  might  be  made  an  humble  instrument  of  his  provi- 
dence, in  enlightening  this  benighted  people ;  and 
since,  by  his  assistance,  all  things  are  possible,  my 
mind  often  dwelt  with  satisfaction  upon  the  prospect 
of  turning  my  situation  to  an  important  and  truly 
profitable  account.  But  vain  are  all  the  projects  of 
man,  even  when  they  appear  wisest,  and  least  objec- 
tionable in  his  own  eyes.  A  casual  conversation  with 
D  one  morning  upon  the  subject  of  opium,  in- 

duced me  to  scrutinize  more  narrowly  than  I  had 
before  done  the  nature  of  our  business.  I  weighed  it 
in  the  balance  of  the  sanctuary,  and  it  was  found 


1623.]  OPINIONS  ON  THE  OPIUM  TRADE.  203 

wanting.  I  prayed  for  a  sound  discriminating  judg- 
ment, SO  that  I  might  distinguish  between  right  and 
wrong.  I  searched  the  Scriptures  for  light  and  infor- 
mation, but  the  more  I  pondered,  the  more  I  became 
convinced  that  the  smuggling  of  opium  into  China,  is 
inconsistent  with  strict  Gospel  morality.  By  such 
alone  must  I  be  guided ;  and  since  it  is  impossible  to 
serve  God  and  Mammon,  I  find  that  this  situation 
must  give  way  to  the  voice  of  conscience,  not  my 
conscience,  to  the  situation.  A  Chinese  author  says, 
that  the  truly  ^  virtuous  man  is  one  who  sacrifices  all 
earthly  considerations  to  the  maintenance  of  heavenly 
principles ;'  and  shall  I  be  less  virtuous  than  a  pagan  ? 
God  forbid !  Could  I  hold  out  the  bread  of  life  to 
the  Chinese  in  one  hand,  and  opium  in  the  other  1 
Could  I  bestow,  with  any  propriety,  in  the  service  of 
religion,  that  money  which  accrued  from  the  demo- 
ralization and  consequent  misery  of  a  large  portion  of 
my  fellow-creatures  1  Alas !  my  dear  Sir,  this  is  a 
dreadful  view  of  the  subject;  and  although  the  trade 
is  sanctioned  by  worldly  usage,  although  wiser  and 
better  men  than  myself  may  have  engaged  in  it,  and 
although  I  naturally  respect  the  opinions  of  those  who 
advised  me  to  come  out  here,  I  nevertheless  think, 
that  worldly  duty  must  become  secondary  on  this,  as 
on  every  other  occasion,  to  the  injunctions  of  divine 
law.  As  soon  as  my  determination  was  made,  I  talked 
over  the  matter  with  Harding,  who  agreed  with  me 
altogether  in  opinion,  as  did  Mr.  Hutchings ;  and  Mr. 
Olyphant  has  since  expressed  himself  no  less  strongly, 
so  that  I  feel  confident  of  your  approbation. 

"  I  have  taken  my  passage  in  the  ^  Citizen,'  to  New 
York,  and  expect,  please  God,  to  be  in  England  about 
the  same  time  that  you  will  return  to  China.  Such 
are  the  changes  and  chances  of  this  life.  Little  indeed 


204  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1823. 

did  I  suspect  what  a  few  weeks  would  bring  forth,  at 

tlie  time  of  your  addressing  to  S and  myself  the 

words,  *  When  shall  we  three  meet  again  V  Little 
did  I  anticipate  such  a  change  in  my  prospects ;  but 
God's  will  be  done.  Better  is  a  little  with  the  fear  of 
the  Lord,  than  great  riches  without  right.  Perhaps  I 
estimated  money,  as  a  means  of  usefulness,  above  its 
real  importance,  and  therefore  the  sacrifice  has  been 
more  painful  than  it  would  have  been  had  my  mind 
been  thoroughly  set  upon  heavenly  things.  If  ever 
we  meet  again,  I  hope  that  you  will  find  me  im- 
proved in  spiritual-mindedness ;  and  although  our 
acquaintance  has  been  short,  I  feel  confident  that 
you  will  not  cease  to  regard  me  with  affectionate  and 
friendly  interest.  I,  for  my  part,  can  assure  you, 
that  I  shall  always  remember  you,  with  feelings  of 
love,  gratitude,  and  respect,  and  offer  up  my  humble 
prayers  to  the  Almighty,  that  he  may  long  spare 
your  valuable  life,  and  bless  with  success  your  mis- 
sionary labours  in  this  country.  It  was  my  intention 
to  consecrate  the  first-fruits  of  my  partnership  with 

D to  the   advancement  of  the   Anglo-Chinese 

College,  but  now  I  am  wholly  dependent  upon  my 
father,  and  unless  he  authorized  me,  I  should  not  feel 
justified  in  bestowing  away  his  money.  Many  years 
probably  will  elapse  ere  I  become  possessed  of  luonied 
resources,  and  it  must  now  be  my  endeavour  to  find 
out  other  methods  of  doing  good.     I  sometimes  think 

of  taking  Orders,  and  D says,  that,  with  my  rigid 

notions  of  religion,  it  is  the  only  suitable  profession  ; 
I  think  differently,  however,  and  in  case  my  friends 
wished  me  to  study  the  law,  I  should  have  no  objec- 
tion ;  in  either  case,  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  utility  to 
others,  not  self-interest,  will  be  my  leading  concern. 
The  first  wish  of  my  heart  is  to  become  an  instrument 


1823.]  OPINIONS  ON  THE  OPIUM  TRADE.  205 

(however  humble)  of  Divine  Providence,  in  aniiihi- 
latingi  or  at  least  ameliorating,  West  Indian  Slavery. 
I  beseech  your  prayers,  therefore,  my  dear  Sir,  not 
for  any  temporal  prosperity,  but  that  I  may  be  *  saved 
from  folly,  vanity,  and  vice,  and  every  low  pursuit,' 
and  be  enabled  to  devote  my  life  to  the  service  of  God 
and  the  welfare  of  our  fellow-creatures.  I  know  that 
at  least  I  shall  be  a  miserable,  unprofitable  servant, 
but  great,  exceeding  great,  are  the  riches  of  Christ's 
grace.  Trusting  in  his  merits  alone,  I  hope  and 
rejoice. 

"  You  will  doubtless  be  kind  enough  to  answer  this 
letter,  and  express  to  me  your  opinion  of  the  opium 
business.     I  am   rather  glad  that  my  determination 
has  been  made  since  your  departure,  for  it  might  have 
been  said  that  you  influenced  me  in  adopting  a  course 
which  is   so  irreconcilable  with  worldly  usage  and 
opinion.  By  some  probably  it  may  be  deemed  a  mark 
of  great  presumption  in  me  to  disapprove  of  a  trafiic 
in  which  almost  all  Eastern  merchants,  with  the  Court 
of  Directors  at  their  head,  do  not  scruple  to  partici- 
pate ;  but  the  same  might  have  been  said  of  the  Slave 
Trade  before  it  was  abolished,  and  the  Bible  orders  us 
not  to  follow  the  multitude  to  do  evil.     Under  these 
circumstances,   therefore,  I  bid  an  eternal  adieu  to 
China,  although  not  without  hopes,  if  God  spare  our 
lives,  of  meeting  you  once  again  in  Old  England.  At 
present  it  only  remains  for  me  to  subscribe  myself, 
with  grateful  respect,  your  obliged  young  friend,  and 
affectionate  fellow-disciple, 

«  G.  F.  M ." 

The  following  letters  to  his  brother  and  Mr.  Rayner, 
briefly  notice  his  occupations  while  at  the  College. 


206  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1823. 


TO  MR.  J.  MORRISON. 
<' Anglo-Chinese  College,  July  7tb,  1823. 

'^  Mt  Dear  Brother  James, 

"  I  am  still  at  Malacca  here,  expecting  every  day  a 
ship  to  convey  me  back  again  to  China.  I  have  been 
fully,  and  I  hope  usefully  occupied  here.  In  aid  of 
the  College  and  of  the  Mission,  I  have,  moreover, 
spent  the  half  of  (or  more  than  the  half)  of  my  little 
property.  This  circumstance  may,  probably  after  my 
arrival  in  China,  induce  me  to  abandon  the  idea  of 
visiting  England — I  cannot  afford  it — ^However,  the 
letters  that  I  may  receive  in  China,  the  state  of  my 
health,  and  other  matters,  may  operate  on  my  mind 
differently  then :  and  therefore  I  do  not  say  positively, 
what  I  shall  do. 

^^  This  day,  the  Sabbath,  I  have  preached,  as  I  may 
call  it,  twice  to  the  Chinese ;  administered  the  Lord's 
Supper  to  our  College  family,  and  have  conducted  the 
examinations  of  our  Chinese  schools.  Tlie  lads  can 
now  sing  several  hymns  in  Chinese,  and  some  verses 
in  English.  They  (the  senior  class)  attended  family 
worship  in  English  this  morning:  read  verse  and 
verse  about  in  the  chapter,  and  sung  ^  Jesus  shall 
reign,'  &c. 

"  I  hope  my  own  dear  children  are  well,  and  doing 
well.  O  my  God,  own  them  as  thy  children !  The 
Rev.  M.  Harding  in  China  has  written  to  me,  that 
Mrs.  Molony  had  transferred  safely  my  poor  little 
Mary  Bee,  to  some  of  my  friends  in  London :  and  I 
got  a  letter  that  Bee  wrote  to  me,  when  she  was  at 
St.  Helena. 

^*  I  shall  not  write  now  to  father  and  mother  Mor- 
ton ;  but  defer  that  till  my  arrival  in  China,  should 


1823*3  RESPECTING  MALAY  TRACTS.  207 

the  Lord  spare  me  to  reach  that  place.  Send  a 
copy  of  this  down  to  Mrs.  Morton,  and  the  children. 
My  health  is  much  as  usual.  I  dine  off  the  same 
dish  every  day,  to  avoid  headaches,  of  which  I  have 
had  several,  since  I  came  here.  I  leave  Messrs. 
Humphreys  and  Collie  in  the  charge  of  the  College 
and  Mission  at  Malacca.  I  have  accepted  of  the 
office  of  Vice-President  of  the  Singapore  Institution, 
but  if  I  remain  in  China,  I  shall  not  be  able  to  attend 
to  it.  Morrison's  Glen,  at  Singapore,  is  under  cultiva- 
tion— ^if  little  John  lives,  he  may  perhaps  one  day 
visit  it. 

"  My  mind  is  in  a  serious  frame — a  little  depressed, 
a  little  melancholy — ^but  still  holding  fast  the  blessed 
hope  of  final  acceptance,  through  the  merits  of  my 
Redeemer.  My  colleagues  here,  Humphreys  and 
Collie,  advise  me  to  go  to  England  for  the  benefit  of 
the  College,  the  funds  of  which  will  soon  fail.  But 
life  is  short — ^the  work  is  great. 

"  Farewell !  my  dear  Brother  and  Sister,  and  Friends. 
Farewell !    Farewell ' 

"  KoBERT  Morrison." 

TO  JOSEPH  RAYNER,  ESQ. 

"  Anglo-Chinese  College,  Malacca, 
"  March  1 3th,  1823. 

"  My  Dear  Friend, 

"  It  is  a  long  time  since  in  China  I  heard  from  you. 
My  late  beloved  brother  William  Milne,  always  wrote 
to  you  concerning  the  Chinese  and  Malay  Tracts. 
I  have  now  to  supply  his  place.  Since  his  death,  no 
new  Chinese  tracts  have  been  printed,  but  I  have  one 
now  in  the  Chinese  moveable-type  press,  consisting  of 
a  single  sheet,  which  I  intend  as  a  weekly  paper, 


208  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1823. 

conveying  to  the  Heathen  in  varied  forms,  the  princi- 
ples of  the  Christian  religion.  Two  or  three  Malay 
tracts  have  been  printed ;  one  of  them  in  the  form  of 
a  sermon,  written  by  Mr.  Beighton  at  Fenang.  Tracts 
continue  to  be  printed  and  circulated  as  opportunities 
offer,  and  I  expect  that  more  frequent  opportunities 
will  be  enjoyed  soon  in  consequence  of  the  removal  of 
the  College  and  the  press  to  Singapore,  where  there 
arrive  native  vessels,  from  all  the  countries  of  the 
Archipelago.  I  hope  God's  blessing  will  still  rest 
upon  us,  and  bless  the  labour  of  our  hearts  and  hands. 
"  The  paper  sent  out  by  the  Tract  Society,  has  been 
duly  and  thankfully  received.  •         •         • 

"  Farewell,  my  dear  Friend.  Grace  and  peace  be  ever 
with  you. 

"  I  am  your's,  very  sincerely, 

"  Robert  Morrison.'' 

FROM  sir  T.  S.  raffles  TO  DR.  MORRISON. 

"  On  board  the  *  Hero  of  Malvern,' 

Off  Singapore,  June  9th,  1823. 

"  My  Dear  Friend, 

**  Business  accumulated  upon  me  so  fast  up  to  the 
period  of  my  embarkation  that  I  was  obliged  to  put 
off  writing  to  you  till  now,  and  as  we  are  under  weigh 
with  a  fine  breeze,  I  must  trust  to  a  chance  opportunity 
for  sending  this  on  shore,  or  putting  it  on  board  some 
of  the  vessels  we  may  meet  with  on  our  way  to  Batavia. 

'^  I  mentioned  in  a  hasty  note,  that  I  had  laid  the 
foundation-stone  of  the  Institution  building  under  dae 
formalities:  these  were,  a  blessing  from  myself,  or 
rather  a  supplication  of  one  from  Heaven,  a  short 
prayer  by  Mr.  Milton,  and  an  explanatory  one  in  the 
Malay  language,   by  Mr.  Thomson.     His  highness 


1823.]  FROM  SIR  T.  S.  RAFFLES.  209 

the  Sultan  with  the  principal  Chiefs  were  present; 
the  troops  were  drawn  out,  and  a  Royal  Salute  con- 
cluded the  ceremony. 

**  My  friend  Mr.  Crawfurd  appears  to  me  to  enter 
most  waimly  into  the  wimediate  objects  of  the  Insti- 
tution, and  has  pledged  himself  both  publicly  and 
privately  to  support  all  its  interests  to  the  utmost.  He 
may  sometimes  talk  or  think  more  freely  on  points 
which  you  may  consider  of  a  more  serious  nature,  but 
as  far  as  the  attainment  of  local  information  goes,  and 
the  general  diffusion  of  knowledge  may  require,  he 
will  do  all  he  can.  I  look  forward  to  your  having 
some  hard-contested  arguments  with  him. — No  man 
is  more  open  to  discussion,  and  as  your  head  is  cer- 
tainly the  hardest  of  the  two,  we  may  leave  the  rest 
to  the  conviction  which  must  naturally  result  from 
the  weight  of  the  reasons  you  can  urge. 

**  He  differs  from  us  regarding  the  abolition  of  the 
Gaming  Farm,  and  I  had  not  time  to  discuss  the  point ; 
it  is  however  carried,  and  I  have  no  idea  that  he  will 
ever  renew  it,  or  indeed  if  he  wished  it,  be  ever  al- 
lowed to  do  so.  I  have  made  a  strong  representation 
to  the  Bengal  Government  on  the  subject,  and  I  do 
not  think  even  that  authority,  however  much  it  may 
like  the  revenue  arising  therefrom,  will  dare  to  oppose. 

"  I  would  have  given  a  good  deal  to  have  had  half 
an  hour  s  conversation  before  I  quitted  Singapore ;  the 
principal  points  on  which  I  wished  to  speak  to  you, 
naturally  concerned  the  College,  and  its  immediate 
interests. 

"  I  am  very  anxious  that  you  should  stay  at  Singa- 
pore a  week  or  ten  days  on  your  way  to  China — your 
presence  and  influence  will  be  of  the  greatest  ser\'ice 
in  accelerating  the  progress  of  the  good  work.  Craw- 
furd wishes  to  start  a  newspaper,  and  also  to  print  his 

Vol.  n.  p 


210  CORRESPOND  ENCB.  [1823. 

Mission  to  Siam  and  Cochin-China,  at  the  Institu- 
tion press — ^this  will  give  it  some  popularity.  I 
much  fear,  however,  he  will  not  get  on  well  with  our 

friend  Mr.  M ,  they  have  already  been  sparring, 

and  Crawfurd  seems  to  think  him  an  impracticable 
man,  and  I  must  confess  at  any  rate,  that  he  is  a  very 
odd  one ;  you  know  well  that  he  is  terribly  deficient 
in  conduct,  and  I  think  he  has  rather  foolishly  annoyed 
Crawfurd ; — ^to  myself,  he  has  conducted  himself  with 
the  greatest  propriety,  and  evinced  so  much  personal 
respect  and  attachment,  that  I  should  be  sorry  to  go 
away  without  saying  the  best  word  for  him  that  I 
can.  You  will  judge  for  yourself,  on  the  spot,  and  I 
will  only  add  that  seeing  the  want  of  hands  and  heads 
to  do  all  the  work  we  shall  require,  my  best  exertions 
will  be  made  in  Europe  to  send  you  out  the  best 
supplies  attainable. 

"  Mr.  Thomsen  goes  on  very  steadily,  and  I  have 
reason  very  much  to  approve  of  his  conduct.  Tlie 
Girls'  School  was  commenced  under  Mrs.  Thomsen,  but 
we  were  not  able  to  get  the  printed  resolutions  out  of 

the  hands  of  Mr.  M .     Enquire  for  them,  and  if 

the  plan  languishes,  revive  it  as  you  pass. 

"  Grants  and  Certificates  have  been  given  for  the 
Institution  lands,  as  well  as  those  for  the  Professors, 
&c.,  as  will  be  explained  to  you  by  Mr.  Jackson.  *  • 
*  *  •  I  had  written  thus  far  when  I  was  told  there 
was  no  chance  of  sending  a  letter  on  shore  at  Singa- 
pore, so  I  did  not  conclude  or  close  this.  We  are 
now  a  day's  sail  on  our  voyage  with  every  pros- 
pect of  a  quick  passage.  You  will  think  it  odd,  my 
going  to  Batavia,  but  it  was  the  only  condition  on 
which  I  could  get  an  early  conveyance  for  Bencoolen, 
where  my  immediate  presence  is  most  uigently  re- 
quired.    It  has  been  highly  satisfactory  to  me  to  leave 


182d.J  FROM  SIR  T.  S.  RAFFLES.  211 

Singapore  with  the  full  approbation  of  all  my  mea- 
sures by  the  Bengal  Government,  and  their  support 
of  all  my  plans,  as  far  as  they  are  known  to  that 
authority. 

"Should  you  have  leisure,  I  recommend  you  to 
look  over  my  Regulation  No.  VI.  of  1823,  with 
the  rules  for  the  Residents,  and  Magistrates'  courts 
therein  referred  to,  particularly  the  fonner,  as  well  as 
my  proclamation  of  the  same  date  regarding  the  laws ; 
and  to  suggest  personally  to  the  Resident  any  correc- 
tion and  improvement  which  may  occur  to  you.  They 
have  purposely  been  made  as  general,  and  as  little 
formal  as  the  subject  admitted,  and  the  object  has 
been  to  sketch  an  outline  only  to  be  hereafter  filled 
up  according  to  circumstances  and  experience.  Every 
thing  depends  on  a  good  beginning,  and  if  Crawfurd 
commences  with  regularity  and  steadiness,  he  will 
save  himself  from  much  trouble  and  annoyance  here- 
afler.  I  hope  you  will  translate  for  us  into  Chinese 
such  parts  of  these  Regulations,  &c.,  as  may  be  calcu- 
lated to  have  weight  with  the  Chinese. 

"  I  shall  write  a  few  lines  to  our  friend  Urmston  in 
China,  and  hope  you  will  soon  induce  the  whole 
Factory  to  take  a  warm  interest  in  our  Institution.  I 
shall  even  try  what  I  can  do  in  its  favour  at  Batavia. 
Lady  Raffles  desires  me  to  return  her  particular  ac- 
knowledgments to  you,  for  the  request  made  at  your 
instance  for  my  bust:  it  is  at  Bencoolen,  and  shall 
be  sent  round.  She  desires  to  be  most  kindly  and 
affectionately  remembered,  and  hopes  you  will  not 
forget  her. 

"  Adieu,  my  dear  friend — may  Heaven  prosper  your 
good  cause,  and  may  you  ultimately  enjoy  the  rich 
reward  of  all  your  labours  and  anxieties. — We  are 
about  to  recede  from  each  other,  but  as  the  distance 

p2 


212  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1823. 

between  us  widens,  let  not  our  attachment  weaken,  or 
our  mutual  co-operation  fall  off — let  the  Singapore  In- 
stitution, and  the  Christian  principles  on  which  it  is 
founded,  bind  us  inseparably  in  the  good  cause ;  and 
however  much  I  may  occasionally  deviate  from  that 
strict  and  straight  path,  which  all  who  have  common 
sense,  much  more  a  sense  of  religion,  would  wish  to 
follow,  let  your  prayers  and  your  charity  unite,  and 
be  exerted  for  my  forgiveness,  as  well  in  heaven  as  on 
earth. — It  is  not  very  likely  I  may  be  tempted  to 
any  violent  sin  of  commission^  but  I  feel  daily  how 
many  are  my  sins  of  omission. 

"  Adieu  once  more,  and  believe  me  most  sincerely 
and  affectionately  your's, 

"  T.  S.  Raffles. 

"  I  still  persevere  in  the  intention  of  leaving  India 
in  December.  My  address  in  England,  is  to  the  care 
of  Peter  Auber,  Esq.,  India  House :  put  letters  for  me, 
no  matter  what  size,  under  cover  to  him.  Would  it 
not  be  well  to  send  him  from  China,  by  the  first 
Indiaman  despatched,  a  parcel  containing  twenty  or 
thirty  of  the  pamphlets  on  the  Singapore  Institution  ? 
Do  this  in  my  name,  and  I  will  advise  him  how  to 
circulate  them,  should  they  reach  him  before  I  arrive. 

"  I  think  you  will  be  pleased  with  Maxwell  as 
Secretary — he  is  a  perfect  gentleman,  and  you  may 
rely  on  him.  Mrs.  Napier  will  take  the  lead  in 
favour  of  the  Girls'  School — she  is  an  excellent 
creature." 

TO  THE  rev.  dr.  MORRISON. 
"  My  Dear  Sir,  "  Singapore,  July  12th,  1823. 

"  I  have  had  the  pleasure  to  receive  your  two  kind 
letters,  which  I  have  not  answered  for  want  of  oppor- 


1823.]  FROM  J.  CRAWFURD,  ESQ.  213 

tunity,  one  vessel  only  having  sailed  from  this  since 
my  arrival,  and  this  without  my  knowledge.  Singa- 
pore proceeds  quietly,  and  I  hope  prosperously.  The 
nature  of  my  limited  powers  will  not  admit  of  my 
launching  out  so  boldly  as  my  enterprising  prede- 
cessor, but  I  endeavour  to  maintain  public  confidence, 
and  flatter  myself  I  have  not  been  unsuccessful.  I 
shall  adduce  a  vulgar  proof:  the  whole  of  the  farms 
and  licenses  w^ere  sold  the  day  before  yesterday,  and 
without  any  additional  restraints  or  taxes  brought 
about  100  per  cent,  beyond  what  they  had  ever  sold 
for  before.  Our  revenue  now  meets  our  expenses 
within  1000  dollars  a  month. 

"  We  have  had  no  meeting  of  the  Institution  since 
Sir  Stamford  went  away,  but  I  assure  you  its  interests 
are  not  lost  sight  of,  and  I  once  more  pledge  myself 
to  do  all  in  my  power  for  it.  However,  upon  all 
these  points,  I  shall  have  a  great  deal  to  say  to  you 
when  you  come  down.  I  ought  to  say  just  now,  that 
we  are  waiting  only  for  materials  to  commence  the 
building.  The  Cochin- Chinese  were  with  me  to- 
day, being  their  second  visit.  The  interpreter  is  an 
old  acquaintance  of  mine  at  Saigon,  and  lets  me  into 
the  secret  of  their  voyage,  which  is  of  no  great  impor- 
tance. They  go  away  in  two  days,  and  I  send  by 
them  to  the  first  minister,  a  handsome  gold  chronome- 
ter, and  to  the  Governor  of  Saigon,  a  doubled-barrelled 
gun,  with  fine  powder  and  shot,  articles  which  the 
Cochin-Chinese  set  a  high  value  on,  for  they  are 
great  sportsmen !  Our  visitor  are  but  men  of  very 
inferior  rank,  yet  there  is  a  respectability  and  manli- 
ness in  their  manners  which  strikes  every  body  here. 
I  am  in  hopes  to  see  you  here  in  the  course  of  next 
month.  I  have  nearly  rebuilt  the  house  on  the 
hill,  and  shall  be  able  to  give  you  good  accommo- 


214  CORRESPONDElfCE.  [1823. 

dation,  and  of  the  welcome,  you  will  judge  from  expe- 
rience. 

"  I  am,  my  dear  Dr.  Morrison, 

"  Sincerely  your's, 

"  J.  Crawfurd.*' 

Although  the  preceding  letter  from  the  new  Resi- 
dent might  seem  to  warrant  the  expectations  expressed 
by  the  late  Governor,  yet  the  result  was — ^what  Dr. 
Morrison  but  too  clearly  augured  from  the  "  discus- 
sions" which  he  held  with  Mr.  Crawfurd  on  moral 
and  religious  opinions — viz.  the  abandonment  of  the 
colony  to  its  former  vices,  and  the  failure  of  the  Sin- 
gapore Institution. 

The  Rev.  David  Collie  having  made  considerable 
progress  in  the  Chinese  language,  was  appointed  Prin- 
cipal of  the  Anglo- Chinese  College,  which  office  he 
sustained  with  ability  until  his  death,  about  1828. 
The  following  letter  was  addressed  by  him  to  the 
President  after  his  departure  from  Malacca. 

TO  THE  REV.  DR.  MORRISON. 

**  Anglo-Chinese  College,  July  28th,  1823. 

"  My  Dear  Brothrr, 

"  It  is  with  much  pleasure  I  embrace  the  present 
opportunity  of  sending  you  a  few  lines.  When  you 
left  us  my  heart  almost  sunk  within  me.  I  felt  a 
weight  come  on  my  shoulders  too  heavy  to  bear. 
Pray  much  for  me  that  I  may  receive  daily  supplies 
of  strength  from  above. 

"  Mr.  Humphries  has  taken  your  class  under  his 
care  during  the  former  part  of  the  day,  and  is  teach- 
ing them  English  Grammar  and  Geography.  I  have 
taken  them  in  the  after  part  of  the  day,  and  am 
endeavouring  to  explain  the  Scriptures  to  them.  They 
have  commenced  writing  an   English   translation  of 


1823.]  FROM  THE  REV.  D.  COLLIE.  215 

Dr.  Milne's  Catechism.  Through  the  assistance  of 
your  Dictionary,  they  manage  to  give  the  sense  pretty 
well,  after  which  I  correct  their  productions  and  cause 
them  to  write  out  a  fair  copy.  I  purpose  to  make 
them  write  out  their  own  ideas  of  what  we  read  in  the 
Bible  in  their  native  language.  Each  of  them  has 
written  an  essay  on  the  Creation  and  the  Fall.  The 
one  written  by  Ke  Sang,  although  not  very  much  to 
the  point,  is  so  excellent  for  the  ideas  it  contains,  that 
I  have  enclosed  a  copy  for  your  perusal.  Those 
written  by  Chang  Chun  and  the  two  brothers,  are  in 
my  estimation  very  good.  I  am  of  opinion  that  no- 
thing is  more  calculated  to  make  them  think  of,  and 
recollect  what  they  read,  than  causing  them  to  give  a 
brief  account  of  it  in  writing.  My  heart  often  yearns 
over  them  ;  O  that  they  may  be  taught  from  above ! 

"  Tlie  tjrpe-cutter  whom  you  sent  to  Singapore  has 
returned  to  Malacca.  We  have  given  him  employment 
for  the  present  until  we  hear  from  you.  Last  Sabbath  I 
and  three  of  the  students  went  to  a  neighbouring  village, 
and  distributed  a  considerable  number  of  our  weekly 
papers.     Some  of  the  people  said  they  were  exceed- 
ingly glad  to  receive  them.     I  hope  you  will  not  for- 
get your  promise  of  sending  us  some   papers  from 
China.     I  believe  I  have  little  more  to  say  at  present. 
I  will  write  to  you  frequently,  and  let  you  know  what 
we  are  doing,  and  I  hope  you  will  not  forget  me. 
Forgive  my  many  faults,  and  plead  my  cause  at  the 
throne  of  grace.     I  might  fill  many  sheets  with  ex- 
pressions of  gratitude  for  your  great   kindness  and 
liberality  to  me,  but  I  forbear,  knowing  that  you  wish 
not  such  things. 

"  I  am,  my  dear  Brother, 

"  Your's  sincerely, 

'*  David  Collie." 


216  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1823. 

While  Dr.  Morrison  was  at  Malacca  he  received  the 
following  letter  from  the  President  of  the  Select  (Com- 
mittee, which  shows  that  apprehensions  were  enter- 
tained that  the  annoyances  of  the  lin-tin  affair  would 
be  revived  the  ensuing  season. 

FROM  MR.  (NOW  SIR  JAMBS)  URMSTON,   TO   THE  REV.  DR. 

MORRISON,  AT  MALACCA. 

"  Dear  Morrison,  "  Macao,  AprQ  24th,  1823. 

"  I  wrote  to  you  some  time  since  by  Mr.  Hatchings, 
who  returned  to  Penang  in  the  ship  *  Jane  Hutton.'  I 
have  now  to  thank  you  for  your  letter  of  the  10th  of 
February,  which  I  had  the  pleasure  to  receive  two 
days  since  by  the  *  Valetta.'  I  am  happy  to  learn  of 
your  safe  arrival  at  Malacca,  as  well  as  to  find  that 
your  College  is  going  on  so  well ;  I  am  confident  that 
the  Anglo-Chinese  College  will  prove  of  the  utmost 
importance  and  advantage,  not  only  to  the  interests  of 
the  East  India  Company,  but  to  British  interests 
generally,  in  this  quarter  of  the  globe.    I  shall  always 

feel  sincerely  interested  in  its  welfare  and  success. 

•  •  *  •  • 

"  I  proceeded  to  Canton  last  month,  with  some  of 
our  gentlemen,  to  arrange  our  contract  Teas,  &c.,  for 
next  season.  The  Hong  Merchants  acquainted  us, 
^  that  the  Viceroy  had  summoned  and  told  them,  for 
their  information  and  ours,  that,  on  the  arrival  of  our 
ships  in  the  approaching  season,  he  should  look  for 
two  Englishmen,  who  had  killed  the  Chinese  at  Lin- 
tin,  and  if  they  were  not  forthcoming,  he  should  hold 
them  (the  Hong  Merchants)  heavily  responsible.' 

"  We  learnt,  also,  at  Canton,  that  the  Lin-tin  people 
had  certainly  forwarded  a  petition  to  Peking,  com- 
plaining of  what  they  conceived  the  injustice  of  the 
Viceroy  towards  them  in  the  Lin-tin  ai&ir — that  the 


1823.]  TO    DR.    MORRISON.  217 

Viceroy  had  in  consequence  summoned  the  Lin-tin 
people  who  were  concerned  before  him,  and  censured 
them  for  petitioning,  and  for  not  waiting  till  our  ships 
returned  to  China,  when  it  would  be  seen  whether  he 
would  not  do  his  duty.  It  is  moreover  stated,  that 
Howqua  has  been  compelled  privately  to  bribe  the 
lin-tin  people  with  a  large  sum  of  money,  to  induce 
them  to  cancel  or  contradict  their  petition. 

"  In  reply  to  the  communication  of  the  Hong  Mer- 
chants on  the  Viceroy's  declaration  to  them,  we  dis- 
tinctly assured  them,  and  desired  they  would  consider 
it  as  our  deliberate  and  official  sentiments,  that  it  was 
ridiculous  either  for  the  government  or  themselves  sup- 
posing any  man  would  ever  be  sent  to  them  from 
England,  or  in  any  way  given  up ;  and  that  if  the 
Viceroy  and  his  colleagues  were  really  silly  enough  to 
entertain  any  such  expectations,  they  were  only  de- 
ceiving themselves.  #  #  # 

"  Lindsay  is  now  translating  tlie  Viceroy's  report  to 
Peking,  and  the  petition  of  the  Lin-tin  people  on  that 
afiair — ^which  we  have  obtained  privately — and  if 
Lindsay  can  get  through  them  in  time,  I  will  forward 
the  Chinese  copies  of  them  by  this  opportunity ;  and 
we  shall  be  glad  of  your  translations  of  them  as  soon 
as  you  can  send  them  to  us.  *  * 

"  It  is  impossible,  at  this  period,  to  judge  whether 
the  local  authorities  will  or  will  not  revive  the  discus- 
sion of  the  Lin-tin  affair.  We  have,  however,  made 
up  our  minds  that  they  will,  and  shall  accordingly  be 
prepared  to  meet  the  question,  in  whatever  sliape 
it  may  arise.  With  the  intimation,  however,  thus 
before  us  of  the  Viceroy's  declared  intentions,  we  are 
naturally  very  anxious  to  have  you  again  with  us  as 
early  in  the  ensuing  season  as  possible  ;  indeed  if 
you   could  arrange   to  arrive  here  by  the  time    our 


218  CORRESPONDEXCE.  [1823. 

direct  ships  from  England  begin  to  appear  in  August, 
it  will  be  highly  desirable  and  important,  for  should 
the  Canton  authorities  not  go  to  extremities — ^tiiat  is, 
I  mean  not  enter  into  any  serious  discussion  with  us, 
it  is  very  probable,  I  think,  they  will  say  something 
on  the  subject,  either  for  form's  sake,  to  ground  a 
report  to  Peking,  and  perhaps  to  pacify  the  Lin-tin 
people.  As  a  precautionary  measure  in  the  first  in- 
stance, I  shall  not  permit  our  ships  to][^enter  the  river 
on  their  arrival  in  China,  but  keep  them  at  some  an- 
chorage without  the  Bogue,  until  we  are  unequivocally 
assured  and  satisfied  that  no  serious  discussion,  or  any 
impediment  to  the  trade  is  intended.  I  mention  this 
intention  respecting  our  ships,  however,  to  you  in  con- 
fidence. 

"  Loo,  who  was  Foo-yuen  at  Canton  when  you  left 
us,  is  appointed  to  the  same  .office  in  Shan-tung.  The 
officer  appointed  to  succeed  Loo  at  Canton  is  Ching, 
who  was  treasurer  at  the  time  of  the  Lin-tin  discus- 
sion. The  Hong  Merchants  appear  to  lay  much 
stress  on  Ching's  return,  as  likely  to  be  useful  in 
curbing  the  Viceroy,  should  he  manifest  a  disposition 
to  seriously  break  out  again,  touching  Lin-tin. 

^^  Looking  forward  to  the  gratification,  publicly  and 
privately,  of  soon  seeing  you  again  in  China,  and  I 
trust  in  the  possession  of  good  health  and  spirits, 
believe  me  to  remain,  with  great  regard, 

"  Dear  Morrison, 
"  Yours  very  sincerely  and  faithfully, 

^' James  B.  Urmston.'' 

I  Many  of  the  following  opinions  and  suggestions, 
though  scarcely  adapted  to  the  taste  of  the  present 
day,  will  doubtless  have  their  due  weight,  when  the 
claims  of  the  heathen  to  the  sympathies  and  exer- 


1823.]  FROM  DR.  MORRISON.  219 

tions  of  the  Christian  world,  are  more  extensively 
felt— they  are  therefore  deemed  too  important  to  be 
withheld  from  this  work,  resulting  as  they  did  from 
long  experience  and  reflection. 

EXTRACTS  OF  A  LETTER  FROM  DR.  MORRISON  TO  THE  TREA- 
SURER  AND  SECRETARY  OF  THE  LONDON  MISSIONARY 
SOCIETY. 

"  Canton,  Nov.  lOth,  1823. 

•  •  •  * 

"  I  differ  in  opinion  with  those  who  consider  Ma- 
lacca a  bad  place  for  a  station.  Commerce  and 
Missions  have  no  immediate  relation  to  each  other. 
Indeed,  a  prosperous  commercial  population  have 
generally  their  hearts  too  much  set  on  this  world's 
goods,  or  are  too  busy  in  the  enjoyment  of  riches  to 
listen  to  instruction ;  and  our  own  merchants  in  dis- 
tant colonies,  are  so  often  in  haste  to  become  rich  and 
go  home,  that  they  do  not  generally  feel  much  in- 
terest in  any  plans  for  the  enlightening  and  improving 
of  the  people.  As  to  Malacca  being  a  foreign  settle- 
ment, since  the  Dutch  local  government  does  not 
interfere  with  us,  it  suits  our  purpose  as  well  as  if 
the  government  was  English.* 

"  In  the  College  you  will  have  noticed  that  there 
are  now  two  persons.  Mr.  Humphreys  is  active  and 
zealous  in  the  general  superintendence,  for  which 
his  natural  qualifications  and  habits  fit  him.  Mr. 
Collie  is  more  studious  and  retired.  My  opinions 
are  greatly  in  favour  of  a  Missionary  community, 
consisting  not  only  of  preachers,  but  also  of  men 
having  much  leisure  to  write  Christian  books;  of 
catechists,  school-masters,  and  school-mistresses ;  and 

*  Shortly  after  this,  Malacca  became  an  English  settlement,  and 
has  continued  so  to  the  present  time. 


220  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1823. 

perhaps  it  would  be  well  to  have  some  brethren  to 
attend  only  to  secular  management,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  seniors  of  the  community.  At  present,  in 
every  station,  we  are  too  few  to  do  well  the  many  things 
we  have  to  do.  A  Missionary  to  China,  whose  duty 
it  is  to  teach,  and  preach,  and  write,  requires  at  first 
and  indeed  always,  considerable  leisure  to  devote  to 
these  objects,  to  give  himself  to  prayer,  and  to  the 
ministry  of  the  word.  It  should  never  be  forgotten 
that  the  study  of  the  ps^an  languages — their  litera- 
ture, opinions,  prejudices,  &c.,  requires  much  time ; 
and  whilst  the  acquisition  of  these,  is  necessary  to  a 
moral  teacher,  they  do  not  instruct  him  in  any  thing 
truly  valuable  per  se.  Now  if,  in  addition  to  these 
pagan  studies,  the  daily  management  of  the  detail  of 
occurrences  in  a  Missionary  Establishment,  and  the 
conducting  of  an  extensive  correspondence,  be  imposed 
on  an  individual,  his  time  and  strength  will  be  inade- 
quate. Something  must  be  neglected,  or  he  will  wear 
away  with  labour  too  heavy  for  him.  Therefore  Mis- 
sionaries— ministers  of  religion  in  foreign  lands — 
require  Christian  brethren  to  assist  them,  who  will 
preserve  unity  of  design  and  operation.  With  such 
tempers  and  principles,  there  are  many  pious  persons 
in  the  United  Kingdom,  who  would  be  of  incalculable 
value  in  a  Missionary  Establishment,  by  attending 
daily  to  the  secular  occurrences,  which  they  could 
manage  as  well  as  the  minister  himself.  When  Mis- 
sionaries went  to  itinerate,  these  persons  at  home,  could 
be  confided  in  to  preserve  order — ^in  case  of  temporary 
sickness — ^prevent  afiairs  going  wrong;  and  in  case 
of  death,  would  be  a  sort  of  locum  tenentes — ^till  sup- 
plies came. 

'^  The  station  in  Canton,  although  barren  of  spiritual 
results,  is,  in  my  opinion,  like  a  root  to  the  branch  of 


1823.]  FROM  DR.  MORRISON.  2^21 

the  Chinese  Missions  in  the  Chinese  Colonies.     From 
thence,  the  young  men  could  go  to  itinerate  and  ex- 
plore new  regions  ;  which  duties,  might  occupy  a  few 
months,  or  a  year,  or  two  or  three  years  ;  and  when 
the  itinerant  labourer  returned,  another  could  go  forth 
for  a  wliile.     The  Missionary  community  should  con- 
sist of  persons  of  both  sexes,  possessing  different  qua- 
lifications, and  places,  and  duties  in  it.     To  assist  the 
pagan   females   to   understand   the   doctrines  of  the 
Gospel,  Christian  females  are  essential ;  but  Missiona- 
ries' wives  who  are  mothers,  as  soon  as  they  arrive  in 
heathen  lands,  are  seldom  in   sufficient  health,  nor 
have  sufficient  leisure,  to  qualify  themselves.     Pious 
young  women   to  acquire  the  pagan  language,  and 
teach  girls  and  grown  women,  would  be  very  useful. 
The  itinerant   brethren  above    alluded   to,   could   be 
accompanied  by  serious  natives  who  had  been  edu- 
cated in  the  College  ;  and  thus  would  be  united  the 
understanding  and  firmness  of  the  European  Chris- 
tian, with  the  facility  of  expression,   and  perception 
of  prejudices,  objections,  &c.,  of  the  natives.  Whilst  I 
humbly  submit  these  considerations  to  you,  I  by  no 
means  forget  that  the  Lord  hath  said,  ^  Cursed  is  he  that 
trusteth  in  man,'  instead  of  trusting  in  God,  *  whose  eyes 
run  to  and  fro  through  the  whole  earth,  to  show  himself 
strong  in  behalf  of  those  whose  hearts  are  perfect,'  or 
complete  in  their  dependence  on  him.     Heaven's  sun 
and  showers    the  husbandman   must  have ;    still  he 
ought  to  study  the  best  mode  of  culture. 

"  On  the  importance  of  the  work  it  has  often  been 
said,  that  an  ambassador  from  the  mightiest  monarch 
sinks  into  insignificance  before  the  Missionary,  &c. — 
this  is  a  common  comparison ;  but  the  secular  ambas- 
sador's greatness,  and  the  Missionary's  have  not  respect 
to  the  same  world ;  and  there  can  be  no  proper  com- 


222  COBRESPONDENCB.  [1823. 

parison  between  them  in  this  respect.  A  beggar,  who 
is  a  child  of  God,  is  infinitely  greater  and  happier  than 
a  monarch  who  is  the  enemy  of  God — ^but  there  is 
little  propriety  or  utility  in  saying  to  the  beggar  that 
he  is  a  greater  man  than  the  king.  If  our  well- 
educated,  well-connected,  wealthy  Christians  and  mi- 
nisters, both  young  and  middle-aged,  believed  what 
they  say  about  the  dignity  of  the  Missionary,  they 
would  not  leave  the  Missionary  work,  to  the  poor  and 
uneducated,  to  the  extent  they  do,  and  so  much  to 
the  disgrace  of  the  Protestant  churches.  The  Mission- 
ary, whom  many  people  praise  and  respect,  is  a  sort 
of  ideal  character,  and  their  lofty,  magnificent,  vision- 
ary notions  still  allow  them  to  despise  and  neglect 
the  actual  Missionary. 

"  There  are  many  difficulties  inseparable  from  the 
Christian  minister  in  a  foreign  pagan  land ;  but  there  are 
some,  that  it  is  in  the  power  of  the  churches  to  prevent. 

"  In  these  civilized  parts  of  the  world,  under  the 
Christian  governments  to  which  Missionaries  are  sent, 
much  the  same  means  must  be  employed  in  diffusing 
Christian  knowledge,  as  are  used  in  England ;  and 
the  whole  world  is  now  as  easily  traversed  as  the 
difierent  provinces  of  the  Roman  empire,  or  the 
difierent  counties  of  England  were  in  former  days. 
Let  us  look  at  the  captains  and  officers  of  the  ships 
that  come  to  China,  as  well  as  the  poor  seamen,  and 
the  surgeons,  the  merchants  abroad,  &c.,  who,  in 
procuring  their  daily  bread,  have  to  abandon  home 
year  after  year,  and  to  traverse  the  dangerous  deep — 
Look  at  the  American  skin  traders  who  come  to 
China,  circumnavigating  the  globe,  and  trafficking 
with  savages,  voyage  after  voyage. — ^These  things  are 
now  80  much  matter  of  course  that  no  one  thinks  of 
naming   them    as  difficulties.     It    is    true  the   Mis^ 


1823.]  FROM  DR.  MORRISON.  223 

sionaries  are  not  expected,  except  under  peculiar  cir- 
cumstances, to  return  home.  However,  if  we  would 
but  make  homes  for  ourselves  abroad,  by  establishing 
pious  and  well-regulated  communities  there,  from 
which  strife  was  banished — where  courtesy,  and  kind- 
ness— ^harmony,  and  respect  for  age  and  service,  were 
cherished — ^the  depressing  effect  on  the  mind,  of  never 
going  home,  would  be  relieved. 

"  What  we  require  in  all  the  members  of  the  Mis- 
sionary community  is,  unfeigned  piety,  humility; 
education,  or  skill  in  their  several  departments ;  good 
common  sense,  good  tempers,  sincere  love  to  the 
Saviour,  and  a  desire  to  promote  the  glory  of  God  in 
the  salvation  of  men,  and  that  they  subordinate  all 
their  personal  and  domestic  concerns  to  the  cause  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  amongst  the  heathen.  In 
whatever  belongs  to  the  diffusion  of  religion  they 
should  be  independent  of  each  other— only  exercising 
that  voluntary  liberality,  kindness,  and  sympathy, 
which  becomes  them  as  human  beings,  and  as  disciples 
of  Christ. 

"  The  northern  parts  of  China  have  suffered  very 
much  this  year  from  the  overflowing  of  several  of  the 
rivers.  Many  human  beings  have  been  drowned, 
habitations  swept  away  by  the  floods,  and  the  fields 
of  grain  destroyed,  or  rendered  incapable  of  cultiva- 
tion. The  Peking  Gazettes  are  occupied  chiefly  by 
these  occurrences.  The  Emperor  commanded  the 
priests  of  the  Taou  sect  to  offer  up  prayers  for  a  cessa- 
sion  of  the  rains,  and  sent  members  of  the  Imperial 
family  to  the  temples  to  offer  incense  in  person.  The 
Budh  priests  were  not  called  in  by  His  Majesty. 
Whether  it  should  be  inferred  that  his  own  mind  is  in 
favour  of  the  Taou  sect  or  not,  I  cannot  venture  to  say. 
A  priest  of  the  Taou  sect,  to  whom  I  explained  the 


224  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1823. 

belief  of  Christians  concerning  one  God,  told  me  the 
other  day  that  our  opinion  was  the  ancient  doctrine. 

"  There  have  been  no  persecutions  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  Christians  noticed  in  the  Gazettes,  which 
seems  to  intimate  that  the  Emperor  is  not  peculiarly 
hostile  to  them. 

"  L'Amiot,  the  French  Missionary,  who  was  dis- 
missed from  court  a  few  years  ago,  is  still  at  Macao, 
and  cherishes  hopes  of  being  recalled  to  the  office  of 
Translator. 

"  Martini,  an  Italian  from  Rome,  who  had  been  in 
China,  as  Macao  agent  to  the  Propaganda  Missions, 
died  in  the  spring  of  this  year.  He  had  a  successor 
appointed,  and  living  with  him  at  the  time  of  his 
death.  The  successor  is  a  young  man  who  is  making 
some  progress  in  speaking  Chinese.  He  has  accepted 
with  warm  expressions  of  gratitude  a  copy  of  my 
Dictionary.  Martini  could  not  read  Chinese  at  all, 
and  spoke  it  very  imperfectly. 

"  Mr.  Harding,  Chaplain  to  the  English  Factory, 
goes  home  on  leave  of  absence  this  year;  and  I 
purpose  to  pay  you  a  short  visit.  I  have  taken  a 
passage  in  the  ^  Waterloo.'  Captain  Alsager  the  com- 
mander hopes  to  sail  in  December,  vigi  Cape  of  Good 
Hope ;  and  if  the  Lord  spare  my  life,  it  is  my  inten- 
tion to  return  to  China  vi^  Bengal  and  Straits  of 
Malacca. 

"  Our  Chinese  Mission  has  Med  hurst,  Ince,  Hum- 
phreys, and  Collie, — some  of  these  are  very  promising 
Chinese  scholars,  and  all  of  them,  I  believe,  zealous 
devoted  Missionaries. 

"  Leang-Af  a,  the  Chinese  printer,  who  was  baptized 
and  instructed  by  Dr.  Milne,  and  scourged  in  Canton 
for  making  Christian  books,  remained  at  Malacca  till 
the  Sacred   Scriptures  were   printed.     He  has  now 


1823.]  BAPTISM  OP  leano-afa's  son.  225 

turned  to  his  family  in  China.  His  aged  father 
rejects  the  truth,  but  his  wife,  he  says,  has  become  a 
Christian,  and  he  has  promised  to  bring  his  infant 
son  for  baptism. 

"  I  would  that  we  had  nothing  to  write  about,  but 
the  progress  of  divine  truth  and  the  happy  effects 
produced  by  the  Gospel.  However,  it  is  not  so ;  every 
individual  pilgrim  towards  the  heavenly  Canaan  has 
many  toils  and  conflicts ;  and  the  progress  of  associated 
Christians  is  not  free  from  these.  In  families,  and 
churches,  and  Missionary  societies,  there  is  much  to 
make  us  long  for  that  land,  where  sin  and  sorrow 
shall  never  enter. 

"  Fathers  and  brethren,  may  it  be  yours  and  mine 
to  have  a  mansion  there — and  oh  that  we  may  lead 
many  wanderers  thither!  Spirit  of  God,  be  thou 
our  guide  I     Farewell ! 

"  I  am,  in  the  faith  of  our  blessed  Lord, 

"  Your  fellow-servant, 
(Signed)  "  Robert  Morrison. 

"P.  S.  Afa,  whom  our  dear  Milne  baptized,  has  led 
his  wife  to  embrace  Christianity,  and  proposes  to  bring 
his  little  son  to  me  to  be  baptized." 

November  20th,  1823,  he  writes : — 

"To-day,  Leang-Afa,  our  Chinese  fellow-disciple, 
brought  his  son  Leang-tsin-tlh,  *  entering  on  virtue,' 
and  had  him  baptized  in  the  name  of  God  the 
Father,  Son,  and  Spirit.  Oh  that  this  small  Chris- 
tian family  may  be  made  the  means  of  spreading  the 
truth  around  them  in  this  pagan  land. 

"  Leang-Afa  laments  the  want  of  an  Exposition  of 
the  difficult  parts  of  Sacred  Scripture,  such  as  the 
Prophets  are  to  him.     He  says  the  carnal  mind  does 

Vol.  II.  Q 


226  CORRESPONDENCB.  [1823. 

not  relish  the  perusal  of  the  Bible.  It  is  indeed  the 
same  with  nominal  Christians  as  with  Pagans.  How 
few  read  or  study  the  Bible  till  their  minds  are  seri- 
ously impressed,  but  a  cursory  look  at  the  Bible  may 
be  the  means  of  making  that  impression. 

"  The  Fiih-keen  dialect  is  very  dissimilar  from  the 
general  language  of  the  empire,  commonly  called  the 
Mandarin  tongue.  It  is  perhaps  as  dissimilar,  as  the 
Welsh  or  the  Erse  are  from  the  general  language  of 
England.  From  this  you  will  see  at  once  the  import- 
ance to  your  Missionaries  of  Mr.  Medhurst's  work, 
for  most  of  the  settlers  of  the  Archipelago  are  from 
the  province  of  Fiih-keen.  The  written  language  is, 
however,  the  same  as  throughout  the  rest  of  China. 
The  late  Dr.  Milne's  excellent  Tracts  are  intelligible 
to  all.  As  Mr.  Milton  truly  says,  *  preachers  are  now 
wanted  rather  more  than  writers.'  I  am  only  sorry 
that  you  should  for  a  moment  hesitate  about  printing 
Dr.  Milne's  Essay  on  the  Soul,  and  his  Commentary 
on  Ephesians — such  books  are  greatly  fitted  to  diffuse 
the  knowledge  of  God  our  Saviour,  and  would  be, 
in  my  opinion,  to  the  lasting  glory  of  the  Missionary 
Society." 

The  following  letter  from  the  Government  Secre- 
tary, notices  the  re-establishment  of  the  gambling 
farms,  which  Sir  S.  Raffles  had  endeavoured  to  abolish. 

TO  THE  REV.  DR.  MORRISON. 

"  My  Dear  Sir,        "  Singapore,  October  13th,  1823. 

"Nothing  has  occurred  in  the  interval  that  has 
elapsed  since  I  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you  here, 
that  I  could  think  of  sufficient  interest  to  justify  my 
trespassing  upon  your  attention,  otherwise  I  should  not 
have  been  so  long  in  writing  to  you,  and  I  do  it  now 
more  from  the  circumstance  of  the  present,  being  pro- 


1823.]  FROM  J.  A.  MAXWELL,  ESQ.  227 

bably  the  last  opportunity  that  will  offer  in  the  course 
of  the  present  monsoon,  of  holding  communion  with 
your  part  of  the  world. 

"Jackson  is  proceeding,  if  not  rapidly,  at  least  unin- 
terruptedly with  the  accumulating  and  preparing  of 
materials  for  the  Institution,  so  that  I  hope  when  he 
fairly  commences  the  building  of  the  wall,  his  pre- 
yIous  preparations  will  enable  him  to  get  on  with 
speed.  We  have  had  no  more  cold  water  thrown 
upon  us  from  any  quarter ;  our  Grants  seem  held  in  at 
least  as  much  respect  as  any  others,  and  if  the  Bengal 
Government  had  expressed  an  unfavourable  opinion 
regarding  them,  it  is  not  likely  that  we  should  have 
been  left  in  ignorance  of  it.  We  have  not  been  in- 
formed what  opinion  may  have  been  entertained  on 
this  subject,  and  yet  there  has  been  ample  time  for 
a  reply  to  Sir  Stamford's  official  report.  Whether  the 
Supreme  Government  may  have  deferred  entering  on 
the  subject,  or  that  their  sentiments  may  not  have  been 
communicated  here^  I  think  from  either  case,  we  may 
augur  rather  favourably,  and  that  all  in  future  will  go 
on  smoothly  and  well.  Tlie  objects  in  view  are  such 
as  no  man  dares  openly  to  oppose,  and  that  is  more 
than  half  the  battle. 

"Your  letter  to  Lord  Amherst,  I  had  an  opportunity 
of  forwarding  very  soon  after  you  left  this,  and  it 
would  arrive  in  Calcutta  not  long  after  his  Lordship. 
I  sent  it  to  Gordon,  whom  I  requested  to  use  such 
means  as  would  ensure  its  safe  delivery.  A  parcel  of 
the  pamphlets  were  at  the  same  time  sent  to  Mr. 
Gordon  and  Mr.  Palmer. 

*^  We  are  still  without  any  knowledge  of  Sir  Stam- 
ford's actual  arrival  at  Bencoolen. 

"  Lord  Amherst  was  reported  to  have  had  an  attack 
of  illness,  which  it  was  said  would  oblige  him  to  go 

q2 


228  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1823. 

home  immediately,  but  I  believe  the  report  is  quite 
without  just  foundation. 

"  He  has  commenced  a  system  of  strictness,  and  of 
business-like  correctness  with  the  secretaries,  which 
at  first  produced  surprise,  and  perhaps  remonstrance, 
but  he  has  been  firm,  and  it  is  thought  will  in  the 
end  become  popular. 

"  Has  the  wind  blown  to  you  any  reports  of  the 
establishment  of  not  fewer  than  ten  gaming-houses  1  * 
It  is  but  too  true — and  I  am  afraid,  unless  we  see  you 
fairly  settled,  and  directing  the  energies  of  the  Insti- 
tution within  the  next  year,  we  shall  become  liberal 
enough  for  any  thing,  and  may  issue  regular  indul- 
gences for  as  many  more  vices,  as  purchasers  can  be 
found  to  practise. 

"  I  may  say  with  truth,  that  few  events  would  give 
more  general  delight  than  that  which  would  produce 
your  permanent  domicile  among  us.     Believe  me, 
"  My  dear  Sir,  yours  very  faithfully, 

"  John  A.  Maxwell.'* 

FROM  colonel  FARQUHAR  TO  DR.  MORRISON. 
"  My  Dear  Sir,  "  Singapore,  Sept.  29th,  1823. 

"  I  avail  myself  of  the  opportunity  of  the  *  Pasco ' 
proceeding  to  China  to  write  you  these  few  lines,  to 
acquaint  you  that  the  clearing  of  your  hill  proceeds 
without  interruption,  although,  from  the  labour  and 
difficulties  attending  the  rooting  out  and  removal  of 
the  lai^e  trees,  the  work  is  rendered  tedious.  I  have 
received  from  Messrs.  Johnston  and  Co.,  500  currency 
dollars,  of  which  I  have  hitherto  paid  out  330,  and  I 
calculate  that  the  total  expense  of  the  whole  will  not 
exceed  650,  or  from  that  to  700  dollars,  including 

*  The  Government  derived  an  increase  of  revenue  from  the 
licenses  granted  for  gambling  houses. 


1823.]  TO   DR.    MORRISON.  229 

some  acres  of  flat  ground  which  I  have  obtained  for 
a  small  consideration  from  the  Panglima  Prairy,  and 
which  will  prove  a  great  addition  to  the  estate.     I 
purpose  leaving  this  for  Calcutta  early  in  November, 
previous  to  which  I  shall  deliver  over  my  charge,  with 
a  statement  of  the  accounts,  to  our  friend  Mr.  Thom- 
sen.     I  hope  you  experienced  a  pleasant  and  safe 
passive  to  China.     We  are  anxious  to  have  further 
accounts  from  that  quarter,  as  from  the  reports  brought 
by  the  *  Good  Success,'  the  Chinese  Government,  it 
would  seem,  had  determined  to  renew  their  demand 
for  two  seamen  from  us,  to  be  delivered  up  for  execu- 
tion.    As  this  cannot,  of  course,  be  acceded  to,  it  will 
occasion,  in  all  probability,  a  stoppage  of  the  trade, 
for  a  time  at  least ;    I,  however,  hope  that  by  firm 
measures  on  our  part,  the  Chinese  Government  will 
be  convinced  of  the  impracticability  of  obtaining  their 
desires   on  this   score.     A   report  has  been  brought 
down  by  the  *  Pasco '  that  Lord  Amherst  had  it  in 
contemplation,  in  consequence  of  ill  health,  to  return 
again  to  Europe,  but  I  have  not  as  yet  heard  it  from 
any  authentic  source — I  trust,  therefore,  it  may  not 
be  the  case.  •  •  •  • 

"  All  desire  to  join  in  best  wishes  to  you.  May 
every  blessing  attend  you. 

"  Believe  me  yours,  very  sincerely,  ^ 

I'        •  "  W.  Farquhar." 

from  sir  G.  T.  STAUNTON  TO  DR.  MORRISON. 
"  My  Dbar  Sir,         "  Portland  Place,  April  13th,  1823. 

"  I  have  to  acknowledge,  with  many  thanks,  the 
receipt  of  your  interesting  letters  of  October  and 
November;  the  latter,  containing  the  sad  details  of  your 
most  calamitous  fire.  You  did  every  thing  that  man 
could  do  upon  that  tremendous  crisis,  to  persuade 
the  Chinese  Government  to  take  the  only  measures 


230  C0RRESP0I9DENCB.  [1823. 

that  could  be  effective  for  the  stoppage  of  such  a 
dreadful  conflagration — ^that  of  pulling  down  the  inter- 
vening houses.  Yet  I  confess  I  am  not  at  all  sur- 
prised at  your  failure  ;  even  in  this  country,  few  pro- 
prietors of  private  houses  would  consent  to  such  a 
measure,  while  the  smallest  hope  of  safety  existed  in 
any  other  way,  unless  something  like  compensation 
was  held  out  to  them ;  and  this,  with  such  a  poor, 
weak,  and  faithless  government  as  that  of  China,  was 
out  of  the  question.  I  am  happy  to  observe  that 
every  disposition  appears  to  exist  in  the  Court  of 
Directors,  both  to  authorize  the  proper  measures  for 
restoring  their  establishments  in  China,  and  for  placing 
them,  as  far  as  human  foresight  and  prudence  can 
effect,  secure  against  the  recurrence  of  a  similar  mis- 
fortune. Several  of  their  late  servants,  and  among 
the  rest  myself,  were  invited  to  attend  at  the  India 
House  to  give  their^opinions  ;  the  result  of  which,  will 
no  doubt  be  conununicated  to  you.  Several  questions 
were  also  asked  respecting  the  printing  press,  and  its 
disposal  after  your  labours  were  completed.  I  could 
not  give  a  decisive  opinion  whether  there  would 
be  still  any  occupation  or  not  for  the  t3rpes  in 
China ;  but  if  not,  I  was  fully  ready  to  concur  in  the 
propriety  of  offering  the  Chinese  types  to  your  Insti- 
tution at  Malacca,  in  the  manner  in  which  you,  I  am 
told,  had  suggested.  This  leads  me  to  mention,  that  I 
was  happy  to  find  my  order  in  its  favour  on  the 
trustees,  had  been  duly  honoured,  and  that  my  con- 
tribution would  be  acceptable.  I  would  have  made 
it  still  larger,  but  the  reduction  of  income  in  this 
country,  from  various  causes,  and  the  new  calls  which 
we  are  from  time  to  time  subject  to,  prescribe  limits, 
in  these  cases,  narrower  than  our  wishes  might  sug- 
gest. When  however,  you  return  to  England,  which 
I  understand  you  are  likely  to  do  soon,  I  shall  be 


1823.]  TO   DR.    MORRISON.  231 

happy  to  consult  with  you  on  the  subject,  and  see 
what  can  be  done  for  its  advantage. 

"  We  have  lately  established  an  Institution  in 
London  connected  with  Asia,  which,  although  in  the 
first  instance  purely  literary  and  scientific,  I  am  san- 
guine in  thinking,  will  be  in  the  end  more  extensively 
useful,  and  at  least  will  have  a  good  effect  in  drawing 
a  little  more  attention  to  our  Asiatic  interests,  than  has 
hitherto  been  shown.  I  shall  enclose  you  a  prospec- 
tus of  our  Asiatic  Society,  and  I  hope  you  will  autho- 
rize me  to  propose  you  as  a  member.  Among  our 
objects,  one  is  to  found  an  Oriental  Library  and  Mu- 
seum, and  I  intend  to  set  a  good  example  by  contri- 
buting to  it  the  whole  of  my  Chinese  literary  collec- 
tion, which  you  know  is  pretty  considerable. 

**The  French  have  been  a  year  before  us  in  this 
respect ;  but  their  society  is  merely  theoretical,  and 
does  not  admit  of  those  practical  applications  which 
our  important  interests  in  the  East  may  suggest.  They 
have  done  both  you  and  me  the  honour  of  electing  us 
foreign  members.  I  have  since  thought  of  paying 
them  a  visit  at  Paris  this  summer,  but  the  present 
threatening  aspect  of  Continental  politics,  makes  me 
doubtful  on  the  subject,  though  I  have  no  great  appre- 
hensions of  our  being  involved,  at  least  immediately, 
in  the  contest. 

"I  have  availed  myself  of  your  kind  order  for  a  copy 
of  your  Dictionary,  although  I  was  already  in  pos- 
session of  one  by  purchase.  The  lady  you  mentioned 
as  having  studied  Chinese,  Miss  Barrow,  has  now  the 
more  grateful  occupation  of  attending  to  her  husband. 
Colonel  Batty,  and  rearing  a  young  family. 

"  I  enclose  you  the  opening  discourse  of  our  Asiatic 
Society,  and  am  ever,  my  dear  Sir,  with  sincere  regard* 

"  Very  truly  yours, 

"  G.  T.  SlAUNTON." 


232  CORRESPONDEKCE.  [1823. 

TO  SIR  O.  T.  STAUNTON,  BART.,  See.  &e. 

''  Canton,  China,  Nov.  1 7th,  1823. 

^^  Mt  Dear  Sir  George, 

"  I  have  received  your  letter  of  April  last,  accom- 
panied by  the  printed  papers  concerning  the  Asiatic 
Society.  The  formation  of  this  Institution  affords  me 
real  pleasure,  and  I  shall  be  honoured  by  your  pro- 
posing me  as  a  member,  although  it  is  not  likely  I 
shall  ever  contribute  any  thing  to  it. 

^^  Last  season  I  was  down  at  Malacca  to  arrange  the 
afiairs  of  the  Anglo-Chinese  College  in  consequence 
of  the  death  of  Dr.  Milne.  This  visit  led  to  the  for- 
mation of  the  Singapore  Institution,  concerning  which 
Urmston  says  he  has  sent  you  the  printed  documents. 

"  My  visit  to  England,  I  was  obliged  to  defer,  but 
have  now  resolved  to  quit  China  in  the  *  Waterloo,' 
which  is  expected  to  sail  in  the  beginning  of  Decem- 
ber. Sir  Stamford  Raffles  is  to  be  in  England  in  the 
summer  of  1824,  and  I  hope  you  will  unite  with  us 
in  pleading  the  cause  of  the  Chinese  and  Malay 
Colleges. 

^^  It  appears  to  me  that  new  colonies  are  much 
kept  back  from  the  circumstance  of  every  body  being 
intent  only  on  bettering  their  fortunes ;  and  having 
scarcely  any  admixture  of  literature  and  religion. 
There  is  now  happily,  a  considerable  sprinkling  of 
these  in  Bengal,  and  the  other  presidencies  ;  and  if  our 
government  would  but  make  public  its  intention  to 
retain  the  settlement  of  Singapore,  it  would  improve 
rapidly.  Raffles  was  a  most  excellent  ruler  the  short 
time  he  was  there  ;  but  gaming  to  a  great  extent  is, 
since  his  departure,  again  licensed  and  encouraged. 

^^  In  China,  during  the  last  summer,  heavy  rains, 
and  the  overflowing  of  rivers,  have  occasioned  great  dis- 


1823.]  FROM    DR.    MORRISON.  233 

tress  in  the  northern  provinces.  The  Peking  Gazettes 
are  filled  with  papers  on  the  subject.  His  present 
Majesty  appears  to  go  on  with  discretion.  The  rash- 
ness he  exhibited  at  first  in  acting  without  first  con- 
sulting his  ministers,  is  discontinued.  We  have  the 
same  Governor  in  Canton  that  we  had  the  last  year. 
The  lin-tin  afiair  is  not  settled,  but  deferred — I  cannot 
foresee  how  the  local  Government  will  eventually 
*  wrap  it  up.' 

"  The  Dictionary  is  now  all  printed.  The  press  is 
continued  at  a  small  expense,  and  there  is  now  print- 
ii^  an  English  Grammar,  with  Chinese  explanations 
which  I  have  drawn  up  for  the  use  of  the  Anglo- 
Chinese  College.     I  remain,  with  sincere  regard, 

"  Very  truly  yours, 

"  R.  Morrison.'' 

TO  MR.  JAMES  MORRISON. 

"  Canton,  China,  Oct.  24th,  1823. 

"  My  Dear  Brother, 

"  I  have  resolved  to  embark  in  the  *  Waterloo,' 
Captain  Alsager,  to  visit  England.  We  expect  to 
leave  China  in  December  next.  The  ship  will  touch 
at  the  Cape  and  St.  Helena ;  and  if  all  be  well,  will 
arrive  in  England  in  April,  1824.  At  the  close  of 
that  year  I  shall  again  leave  you,  and  return  to  China 
by  the  way  of  Calcutta  and  the  Straits  of  Malacca. 
Thus  I  shall,  I  hope,  be  still  furthering  the  good  cause. 
Oh  that  the  Lord  may  be  with  me,  to  keep  me  from 
evil  and  to  bless  me ! 

"  I  have  received  your  letters  of  this  season,  and 
the  clothes  which  you  sent  me.     A  letter  from  little 

John  also  came  to  hand  with  one  of  Mr.  Clunie's. 

«  «  «  «  « 

"  Nov.  16th,  Sunday. — I  have  to-day  preached  an 


234  C0RRE8P0NDBNCE.  [1823. 

English  sermon  in  Canton,  in  the  hail  of  a  Chinese 
merchant ;  the  congregation  consisted  of  captains  and 
officers  belonging  to  llie  fleet.  The  text  was,  ^  What 
shall  I  do  to  be  saved  Y  Oh  that  it  may  lead  to  the 
salvation  of  some  poor  sinner ! 

^^  I  have  written  to  the  Missionary  Society  to  inform 
them  of  my  going  home.  If  all  be  well,  I  shall  proba^ 
bly  arrive  nearly  as  soon  as  this,  and  therefore  I  shall 
not  write  more  now.  Farewell!  my  dear  brother, 
sister,  and  nephews— The  Lord  bless  you  all ! 

^^  Tell  my  other  relations  in  Newcastle  that  I  have 
not  written  to  them,  as  I  hope  to  see  them  soon. 

^'  I  am  yours  affectionately, 

"  I  enclose  you  an  order  for  200/.,  which  you  may 
draw  if  you  require  money  for  the  children,  or  if  any 
thing  happens  to  me  on  the  voyage."        *         * 

TO  THE  PRESIDENT,  JAMES  B.  URMSTON,  ESQ.,  AND  THE 

SELECT  COMMITTEE. 

"  Gentlemen,  "  Canton,  Oct  21  st,  1823. 

''  Having  spent  sixteen  years  in  China,  subjected 
to  sedentary  occupation,  in  translating,  writing  the 
Chinese  Dictionary  and  other  works,  and  now  feeling 
indications  of  my  constitution  being  affected  by  the 
want  of  bodily  exercise,  I  have  determined  to  avail  my- 
self of  the  liberal  permission  granted  by  the  Honourable 
the  Court  of  Directors,  to  visit  England,  with  certain 
allowances.  I  intend  going  in  the  *  Waterloo,'  with 
Captain  Alsager.  Thus  I  shall  leave  China  in  the 
end  of  December,  1823.  In  the  close  of  December, 
1824, 1  purpose  to  quit  England,  and  return  to  China, 
\ik  Bengal ;  by  which  means  I  hope  to  resume  my 
duties  in  the  Factory,  in  August,  1825. 


1823.]        DR.  MORRISON  EMBARKS  FOR  ENGLAND.  235 

"  For  the  benefit  of  Chinese  literature  in  England,  I 
purpose  taking  thither,  and  leaving  there,  my  Chinese 
library,  consisting  of  several  thousand  volumes,  to  ship 
which  on  board  the  *  Waterloo,'  I  request  the  Com- 
mittee's permission.  And  if  the  Committee  can 
authorize  me  to  draw  such  part  of  my  allowance 
.during  absence,  as  they  may  see  fit,  in  England,  on 
my  arrival  there,  it  will  be  a  great  accommodation  to 
me,  and  will  be  considered  a  favour. 
"  I  remain.  Gentlemen, 

"  Your  most  obedient  humble  servant, 

"  Robert  Morrison.** 

The  preceding  official  letter  to  the  Select  Committee 
explains  Dr.  Morrison's  intentions  and  reasons  in  re- 
spect to  his  contemplated  visit  to  his  native  country. 
His  request  being  complied  with,  and  his  preparations 
completed,  he  embarked  in  the  Honourable  Com- 
pany's ship  *  Waterloo,'  early  in  Dec.  1823,  and 
arrived  in  England  the  20th  of  March,  1824,  accom- 
panied by  a  Chinese  servant,  who,  with  his  brother, 
had  Uved  several  years  in  Dr.  Morrison's  family,  and 
who  had  made  a  profession  of  Christianity.  It  was 
with  deep  regret  that  Dr.  Morrison  quitted  China 
without  leaving  a  representative  in  the  Missionary 
department  of  his  labours.  He  had  strongly  urged 
upon  the  Christian  community  in  Europe  and  Ame- 
rica, the  necessity  of  having  a  successor,  in  the  event 
of  his  own  absence  or  death,  but  hitherto  without 
effect ;  however,  to  insure  the  continuance  of  Christian 
ordinances  among  the  few  who  had  renounced  idolatry, 
after  a  serious  consideration  of  the  subject,  he  dedicated 
Leang-Aft,  who  had  for  eight  years  given  evidence  of 
his  qualification  for  the  work,  to  the  office  of  Evange- 
list among  his  countrymen. 


236  EXTRACTS   FROM    A   JOURNAL  [1823. 

Although  a  voyage  from  China  to  England  is  neces- 
sarily barren  of  incidents  of  any  general  interest,  yet 
as  affording  an  illustration  of  private  character,  and  of 
the  familiar  mode  in  which  Dr.  Morrison  communi- 
cated instruction  and  information  to  his  children,  the 
following  extracts  from  a  journal  of  his  voyage,  written 
for  their  perusal,  will  not,  it  is  presumed,  be  unaccept- 
able to  the  reader. 

EXTRACTS  FROM  A  JOURNAL  OF  THE  VOYAGE  HOME. 

"  Dec.  5th. — My  dear  children,  I  embarked  in  a 
chop-boat  from  Canton  with  the  Chief,  Captain  Alsa- 
ger,  Mr.  S.,  and  Capt.  P.,  to  proceed  to  the  Second 
Bar. 

"Dec.  6th. — About  noon  I  went  on  board  the 
^Waterloo,'  at  Second  Bar,  boimd  to  England,  \ik 
Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  St.  Helena. 

"  Dec.  7,  Sunday. — ^This  is  now  the  close  of  a.  d., 
1823.  I  arrived  in  China,  1807.  Sept.  4th,  I- shall 
have  been  from  England  about  seventeen  years.  Six- 
teen years  then  have  I  lived  in  China.  A  country 
that  is  full  of  idols ;  a  land  in  which  the  Creator  of 
the  universe  is  forgotten  and  unknown,  to  as  great 
a  degree  as  in  any  part  of  the  habitable  globe.  Satan 
here  keeps  his  throne ;  but  the  duties  of  the  second 
table  of  the  law,  are  still  discerned  with  considerable 
precision.  Justice  and  equity  between  equals,  are  un- 
derstood ;  but  superiors,  as  fathers,  elders,  and  magis- 
trates, tyrannize  much  over  the  inferior  relations  of  life. 

"My  public  life  in  China  has  been  a  period  of 
great  industry — ^my  domestic  Kfe  has  been  a  chequered 
scene  of  pleasure  and  of  pain  ;  but  even  the  painful 
circumstances  are  very  dear  to  my  recollection. 

"  I  have  some  misgivings  or  apprehensions  that  I 
may  not  live  to  return  and  be  buried  in  China ;  but. 


1823.]  OP   HIS   VOYAGE   HOME.  237 

all  circumstances  and  probable  events  considered,  I 
hope  that  this  voyage  will  be  for  my  own  good — ^for 
your  good  (Mary  and  John),  and  for  the  good  of  the 
heathen.     Oh  may  the  Lord  grant  it  for  Jesus'  sake  ! 

"  Dec.  14th,  Sunday. — Read  prayers  and  preached 
a  sermon  from  2  Cor.  v.  19,  *  God  is  in  Christ  recon- 
ciling the  world  to  himself.'  Oh  that  you  and  I,  my 
children,  may  be  *  found  in  Christ,'  *  win  Christ,' 
*  glory  in  Christ,'  and  when  we  die  *rest  in  Christ!'* 
Let  Jesus  Christ,  in  whom  God  the  Father  *  delights,' 
be  *all  your  salvation  and  all  your  desire.'  Your 
mother's  hope  was  Jesus  Christ. 

"  Dec.  21st. — Yesterday  and  to-day  the  *  Farquhar- 
8on '  was  in  sight,  and  made  a  signal  that  she  had 
letters  from  London  for  us,  but  we  had  no  opportunity 
of  communicating.  The  weather  squally  and  rainy, 
which  prevented  public  worship  to-day. 

"  Reading  Dr.  Owen  on  spiritual  gifts  for  the  work 
of  the  ministry.  Oh  that  God  may  confer  them  on 
me,  and  on  my  son  John,  that  he  may  be  an  evange- 
list to  the  heathen !  And  may  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God 
be  a  comforter  to  my  little  Rebecca !  On  Christmas- 
day  it  was  intended  to  have  worship,  and  I  prepared  a 
short  sermon  for  the  men,  but  the  wind  blew  so  fresh 
as  to  make  it  impracticable  to  build  a  church,  as  they 
call  setting  up  bars  for  seats. 

"  Dec.  26th. — ^To-day  we  are  to  the  westward  of 
the  Cocoa  Islands,  and  in  about  the  same  latitude.  I 
have  been  reading  history — ancient,  moderu,  church, 
and  civil ;  and  connecting  them  in  my  own  mind. 
All  history  shows  the  bitter  consequences  of  im- 
piety and  immorality;  and  the  beneficial  effects  of 
restraining  appetite  and  passion  within  the  limits  that 

*  The  last  words  of  my  dear  friend  Dr.  Blair. 


238  EXTRACTS  FROM  A  JOURNAL        [1823. 

Heaven  has  prescribed — ^not  less  nor  more.  The  true 
line  of  virtue  and  happiness  is  marked  by  God's  law, 
impressed  on  the  heart,  and  written  in  the  Bible.  Oh, 
my  children,  pray  for  the  Holy  Spirit's  aid  to  discern, 
and  to  maintain  a  conformity  to  the  truth;  and 
always  remember  our  Saviour's  words,  ^  Learn  of  me, 
for  I  am  meek  and  lowly.' 

"  Jan.  Ist.— 1  Chron.  iv.  10,  "  Oh  that  thou  (Lord) 
wouldst  bless  me  indeed,  and  that  thy  hand  may  be 
with  me."  Thou,  Lord,  hast  led  me  by  a  way  which  I 
knew  not — Oh,  still  be  my  guide,  and  keep  me  from 
evil!  My  children — ^my  kindred — ^my  person — ^my 
work,  I  commend  to  thy  blessing.  Oh  that  this  visit 
to  the  land  of  my  fathers,  may  tend  to  the  furtherance 
of  the  Gospel,  and  to  the  welfare  of  my  own  soul ! 

**  My  dear  children,  since  I  came  on  board  ship,  I 
have  been  reading  in  ^  Russell's  Modern  Europe,' 
and  in  other  historical  books.  From  these  there  is 
little  instruction  to  be  derived  for  the  direction  of 
one's  conduct  in  ordinary  life.  The  wickedness  and 
misery  of  mankind,  is  very  apparent  from  them ;  the 
dreadful  evils  arising  from  pride,  ambition,  and  licen- 
tious indulgence.  Pray,  my  children,  for  a  spirit  of 
contentment,  humility,  and  the  fear  of  the  Lord.  The 
histories  by  Gibbon,  and  Hume,  and  Russell,  pretend 
to  be  very  philosophical ;  and  assume  it  as  true,  that 
Divine  Providence  does  not  control  the  af&irs  of  men  ; 
and  hence  they  mock  at  those  who  consider  national 
calamities  as  indications  of  Heaven's  displeasure ;  but 
how  different  is  that  idea  from  the  tenour  of  the  sacred 
historians,  and  the  whole  spirit  of  the  Bible!  Oh 
beware  of  false  philosophy,  which  casts  off  the  re- 
straints of  religion,  and  scriptural  morality. 

"  Jan.  2nd. — ^To-day  it  is  a  calm  in  the  lat.  of  20® 
south,  in  the  midst  of  the  trade  wind,  and  a  heavy 


1823.]  OF   HIS    VOYAGE   HOME.  239 

swell  from  the  south-west,  from  which  it  is  conjectured 
that  there  has  been  a  hurricane  at  the  Isle  of  France 
or  its  neighbourhood. 

"Jan.  4th,  Sunday. — Preached  a  sermon  to  the 
ship's  company  and  read  prayers.  Text,  Luke  xv.  7, 
*  Joy  in  heaven  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth.'  How 
valuable  must  the  soul  of  man  be !  May  the  Lord 
grant  to  you,  my  children,  and  to  me,  repentance 
unto  life :  and  that  we  may  bring  forth  fruits  meet 
for  repentance. 

"The  other  day  a  blue  shark,  swimming  majes- 
tically by  the  side  of  the  ship,  was  deceived  by  the 
bait  suspended  on  a  hook.  It  took  the  meat  into  its 
mouth — the  hook  entered  its  upper  jaw,  and  the  point 
passed  out  at  one  eye :  it  was  drawn  up  out  of  the 
water  struggling  in  vain  against  pain  and  death — so 
cruel,  and  deceitful,  and  destructive,  are  the  pleasures 
of  sin,  which  Satan,  our  great  adversary,  employs  as 
baits  to  catch  erring  spirits.  The  cruelty  and  fraud 
practised  in  catching  the  shark,  shocked  my  feelings, 
and  forcibly  suggested  the  moral  I  have  drawn. 

"  Jan.  5tli.-^My  birth-day  anniversary.  I  to-day 
enter  into  my  42nd  year.  Twenty  of  these  were 
spent  in  my  father's  house,  in  manual  labour  chiefly, 
and  the  rest  in  public  service. 

"  I  have  for  a  few  days  past  been  engaged  in  writing 
a  Domestic  Memoir  of  your  beloved  mother,  with 
extracts  from  her  letters,  for  the  use  of  my  dear 
children,  that  you  may  imitate  her  piety  and  affec- 
tion. The  re-perusal  of  her  letters  affords  me  a  me- 
lancholy pleasure,  and  force  the  tear  of  remembrance 
for  those  sufferings  and  endearments  which  have  all 
passed  away.  May  the  Lord  forgive  me  all  my  sins, 
and  bring  me  eventually  to  heaven,  where  I  trust  my 
Mary  is,  enjoying  ineffable  bliss  in  the  presence  of 


240  EXTRACT  FROM  A  JOURNAL        [1823. 

her  Saviour,  whose  atoning  blood  cleanses  from  all 
guilt  and  defilement. 

"  2  Chron.  xxvi.  5th,  ^  Uzziah  sought  God  whilst 
Zechariah  lived/  'and,  as  long  as  he  sought  the 
Lord,  God  made  him  to  prosper.*  16th  verse,  *  But 
when  he  was  strong,  his  heart  was  lifted  up  to  his 
destruction.* 

'  Deo  juvante,  nil  nocet  livor  malus : 
At  non  juvante,  nil  juvat  labor  gravis. 
Post  tenebras,  spero  lucem;* 

Lady  Jane  Grey, 

"Jan.  13th. — I  recommend  to  you  both,  my  dear 
children,  the  use  of  Crowther's  ^Scripture  Gazetteer,' 
when  reading  the  Bible ;  it  will  help  to  fix  upon  your 
memories  the  events,  as  well  as  enable  you  to  realize 
the  scene  of  those  events,  in  your  own  minds. 

"  It  has  occurred  to  me  to  write  a  small  book,  con- 
taining a  history  of  China,  for  the  use  of  schools; 
there  being  so  little  concerning  China  in  the  school- 
books  at  present  used  in  England. 

"Jan.  17th. — I  began  this  projected  book  under  the 
title  ^  China,  its  History,  &c.  A  Dialogue  for  the 
use  of  Schools.'  * 

"  Jan.  26th. — We  now  approach  the  Cape ;  if  all  be 
well,  may  arrive  to-morrow.  However,  heretofore  we 
have  been  much  disappointed  by  calms  and  light 
winds.  Yesterday,  read  prayers,  and  preached  to 
the  ship's  company,  on  ^  Jesus,  a  Prince  and  a 
Saviour.' 

"  Cape  Town. — Jan.  27th,  Tuesday,  arrived  at  the 
Cape,  and  on  Wednesday  morning  landed.     Soon  as 

*  It  was  published  in  1824,  and  will  be  republished  with  a  sup- 
plement and  illustrations  which  were  prepared  by  Dr.  Moirison, 
before  his  last  departure  from  England. 


1823.]  OF    HIS    VOYAGB    HOME.  241 

possible  I  found  out  the  house  of  Dr.  Philip.  He  was 
in  the  country,  visiting  the  missionary  stations,  and  to 
receive  the  king's  commissioners  on  their  tour  through 
eth  colony.  Mrs.  Philip  was  at  home  with  her  family, 
and  four  missionaries.  Mrs.  Philip  is  a  very  amiable, 
judicious,  and  pious  lady.  There  appeared  much  har- 
mony amongst  them  all. 

"  On  Thursday  evening  I  was  to  have  preached  in 
the  mission  chapel ;  but  the  whole  of  that  day  I  had  a 
most  severe  headache,  and  could  not  deliver  a  sermon ; 
but  Mr.  Moffat  read  for  me  a  discourse  on  missions, 
which  I  had  drawn  up  on  board  ship.  Mr.  Faure,  a 
Dutch  clergyman,  requested  a  copy  of  the  discourse 
that  he  might  translate  it  into  Dutch,  which  was 
granted. 

**  Mr.  Faure  and  a  Mr.  Pringle  (formerly  it  is  said 
the  Editor  of  Blackwood's  Magazine,)  assisted  by  Mr. 
Fairbairu,  are  about  to  edit,  in  Dutch  and  English, 
alternately,  a  monthly  periodical  called  the  ^  South 
African  Journal.' 

"At  the  request  of  Mr.  Greig,  the  printer  and 
editor  of  the  Commercial  Journal,  I  wrote  a  few 
paragraphs  concerning  China  and  missions. 

"  On  the  day  we  landed.  Captain  Alsager  took  me 
to  the  go vemment  house,  in  Cape  Town,  at  which  place 
the  Governor,  Lord  Charles  Somerset,  does  not  reside 
at  present.  He  is  at  Newland,  about  seven  miles  out 
of  town.  Captain  Alsager  and  I  dined  there  on  Friday 
evening,  the  Captain  drove  me  out  in  a  curricle.  The 
road  was  tolerably  good,  the  air  pleasantly  cool,  and 
perfumed  by  the  surrounding  plants.  There  were 
between  thirty  and  forty  people  at  dinner.     I  sat  next 

to   Dr.    B J  his   Lordship's   medical  attendant,  a 

very  little  and  eccentric  man,  who  on  account  of  his 
own  health,  never  eats  animal  food    nor  takes  any 

Vol.  II.  a 


242  EXTRACTS   FROM    A    JOURNAL  [1823. 

wine.     He  was  a  great  talker,  and  affected  an  extra- 
vagant hyperbolical  phraseology. 

"  His  Lordship  spoke  to  me  about  Lord  Amherst's 
orders  to  retrench,  as  being  ill  advised,  inasmuch  as 
men  of  higher  classes  in  society  would  not  accept  the 
service,  while  inferior  persons  would  have  recourse  to 
peculation,  as  was  formerly  the  case,  to  enrich  them- 
selves. 

"  At  Mrs.  Philip's  we  had,  on  the  first  day  I  was 
there,  a  prayer  meeting ;  and  on  two  or  three  other 
occasions,  we  united  in  singing  hymns  of  prayer  and 
praise.  The  missionaries  all  showed  an  affectionate 
disposition  to  me. 

"  Near  Government  House  there  is  a  menagerie,  in 
which  are  a  few  lions,  tigers,  hyenas,  and  jackals,  and 
on  the  other  side  of  the  road,  there  is  a  very  large  tortoise. 

"  It  blew  hard  from  the  south-east  on  the  day  we 
entered  Table  Bay.  The  mountain  behind  the  town 
presents  a  magnificent,  dreary,  and  forbidding  spec- 
tacle. The  town  from  the  bay  looked  uninviting. 
Clouds  of  sandy  dust  were  flying  about.  I  was  more 
reconciled  to  it  after  landing.  The  weather  was  not 
at  all  oppressive  within  doors.  Every  body  wore 
woollen  garments,  and  looked  as  robust  and  healthy 
as  in  Europe.  Ladies  were  walking  about  the  streets 
as  late  as  eight  or  nine  in  the  morning.  The  climate 
is  much  more  European,  than  Canton  in  China,  and 
the  place  altogether  is  anti-asiatic.  Twenty  oxen 
drawing  one  waggon,  and  that  not  a  very  large  one, 
was  a  novel  sight  to  me.  The  roads  in  the  interior, 
are  sandy  and  bad,  and  the  streets  in  the  Cape  are 
very  irregular  and  sloping. 

"  The  houses  are  shut  up  so  closely  with  glass 
windows,  that  the  air  smelt  impleasantly,  on  our  en- 
tering them. 


1824.]  OF   HIS    VOYAGE    HOMS.  243 

"  There  is  at  the  Cape,  a  Mr.  Hellet,  who  has  a 
tolerable  collection  of  stuffed  animals,  skeletons,  &c. 
for  sale.  He  had  three  young  lions  loose  in  a  room, 
a  few  months  old,  with  which  the  keeper  played  as 
with  a  little  dog.  He  had  a  large  stuffed  hippopotamus. 

"  Feb.  1st. — I  embarked  on  Saturday  evening, 
January  31st,  accompanied  by  Messrs.  Elliot,  Robson, 
Hughes,  and  Wright,  missionaries  and  artisans,  who 
came  to  see  the  Waterloo.  We  got  under  weigh  in 
the  morning,  and  proceeded  at  the  rate  of  from  seven 
to  ten  knots  an  hour  till  to-day,  being  5th,  Thursday, 
when  we  seem  to  be  in  the  S.  £.  trade,  going  along 
very  smoothly. 

"  Since  I  left  the  Cape,  I  have  been  reading  the 
speeches  at  the  May  meetings  in  1823,  and  looking 
over  the  late  papers  from  England.  On  the  one  hand, 
how  much  to  edify  and  console  the  mind ;  and  on  the 
other,  how  afflicting  the  quantity  of  vice  and  misery 
exhibited  in  the  papers.  Oh !  my  dear  children,  be- 
ware of  the  company  of  bad  men  and  women.  Let 
not  passion,  but  reason  and  religion,  ever  guide  you  ; 
look  to  Heaven  for  help  to  escape  the  snares  beneath. 

"Friday  13th. — St.  Helena. — ^The  last  three  day's 
calms  and  very  light  breezes  have  detained  us. 

"  Yesterday  the  master's  attendant,  Mr.  Brabazon, 
came  on  board,  and  brought  to  me  a  note  from  Briga- 
dier-General Walker,  inviting  me  to  live  at  Plantation 
House,  during  my  stay  on  the  island.  I  went  on  shore 
and  saw  him  at  the  castle,  in  James'  Town ;  but 
having  to  leave  that  evening,  I  did  not  get  so  far  as 
Plantation  House  where  Mrs.  Walker  was.  Mr.  Welch, 
a  Scotch  clergyman,  is  tutor  to  General  Walker's 
boys.  He  was  very  civil  to  me,  and  procured 
for  me  a  ^  sulky,'  with  two  horses,  to  take  me  up  to 
Napoleon's  tomb.     Mr.  Vernon,  the  junior  chaplain, 

R  2 


244  EXTRACTS    FROM    A    JOURNAL  [1824. 

accompanied  me,  and  pointed  out  the  Briers  where 
Buonaparte  lived ;  Longwood,  &c.  By  an  order  from 
the  castle,  I  was  permitted  to  take  a  slip  of  the  willow 
which  hangs  over  the  grave  of  the  Emperor,  and  I 
planted  it  on  board  ship.  Three  flat  stones  cover  the 
surface  of  the  grave ;  and  iron  rails  surround  it.  A 
circle  of  wood  paling  describes  a  wider  circumference 
round  the  whole. 

"  Mr.  Vernon  says  some  of  the  French  attendants 
reported  that  Napoleon  requested  the  sacrament, 
divested  of  the  Catholic  appendages,  to  express  his 
belief  in  Christianity.  Mr.  V.  considers  the  report 
doubtful. 

"  The  senior  chaplain,  Mr.  Boys,  was  civil  to  me : 
he  appears  a  zealous  minister  of  the  gospel.  Mr. 
Vemon  also  appears  to  be  a  real  disciple.  They  have 
established  schools  on  the  island,  and  report  that  the 
religious  and  moral  condition  of  the  settlement  is  con- 
siderably improved  during  the  last  few  (ten  or  fifteen) 
years. 

"To  Lieutenant  A ,  I  sent  the  College  Re- 
ports, &o.  He  is,  I  heard,  a  pious  man,  who  rose 
from  the  ranks.  With  some  of  the  Chinese  who  were 
working  on  the  road,  I  conversed  a  while,  and  found 
that  they  were  all  from  the  province  of  Canton.  They 
had  several  amongst  them  who  could  read.  The 
Scriptures  and  tracts,  which  the  clergymen  had  given 
to  them  in  Chinese,  had  not  produced  any  apparent 
effect.  There  are  bietween  four  and  five  hundred  of 
them,  all  supported  by  government,  in  which  respect 
they  differ  from  most  of  the  other  colonies,  where  they 
are  left  to  their  own  exertions. 

"St.  Helena  is  the  most  barren  land  I  ever  saw. 
The  rocks  appear  to  have  undergone  the  process  of 
cineration.     Such  frightful  precipices  of  barren  cine- 


1824.]  OF   HIS   VOYAGE   HOME.  245 

• 

ritious  mountains  I  never  saw  before.  The  ascent  by 
the  sides  of  the  hills  was  also  new  to  me,  having  never 
travelled  over  mountains.  I  do  not  wonder  that  Buo- 
naparte was  horrified  by  the  first  view  of  such  a  resi- 
dence ;  it  is  fit  for  nothing  but  a  place  of  banishment. 
General  Walker  said  to  me,  that  when  he  first  saw 
the  island  he  wondered  what  could  ever  induce  human 
beings  to  live  there.  Those  born  on  the  island  are 
called  ^  yam-stocks/  or  ^  yam-stalks/  I  know  not  by 
what  allusion. 

"Feb.  15th,  Sunday. — Preached  from  Mark  xii. 
30,  31,  *Love  to  God,  and  love  to  man.'  When  the 
requirements  of  the  divine  law — the  intenseness  of  the 
law  of  love,  and  the  state  of  the  human  heart,  so 
inimical,  or  so  languid — are  considered,  oh  how  guilty 
does  man  appear ! 

"Feb.  21st. — ^To-day  I  have  finished  ten  conversa- 
tions concerning  China,  and  break  off  there,  that  I 
may  not  make  the  subject  tedious,  nor  the  book  too 
large  for  children. 

"22nd,  Sunday. — Performed  divine  service  and 
preached  from  Romans  vii.  14,  *  The  law  is  spiritual.' 
I  think  some  improvement  is  observable  on  board. 
May  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  convince  and  convert 
the  souls  of  many. 

"  23rd. — At  four  o'clock  this  morning,  a  great  noise 
on  deck  induced  me  to  rise  and  go  out,  when  I  found 
the  ship  hove  to,  and  the  boat  let  down  in  search  of  a 
man  who  had  fallen  overboard — ^the  life  buoy  was 
previously  cut  loose ;  but  the  boat  returned  without 
seeing  the  buoy,  or  hearing  the  man.  Two  blue  lights 
were  burned  to  enable  the  boat  to  sec  the  ship  and 
find  her  way  back.  The  gunner  gives  the  following 
account  of  the  deceased. 

"  *  Benjamin  Hill,  a  young  man  about  thirty-four 


246  EXTRACTS  FROM  A  JOUBNAL        [1824. 

years  of  age,  a  native  of  St.  Albans.  He  has  one  only 
sister  living.  The  White  Horse,  Faddington,  is  the 
place  at  \vhich  he  used  to  lodge.  There  is  a  man 
named  Quirke,  who  has  been  five  years  shipmate  with 
him,  but  knows  nothing  of  his  family.  He  fell  from 
the  starboard  fore-yard,  when  reaching  to  the  fore-top 
gallant  stem  sail  tack.  In  his  fall  he  struck  the  fore- 
chains.  He  has  always  been  very  timorous  of  the 
water,  not  knowing  how  to  swim.  He  has  but  little 
clothes.'  To-day  there  has  appeared  a  want  of  serious- 
ness that  disappointed  me.  If  a  ship's  dog  had  been 
drowned,  there  could  not  have  been  less. 

"  The  last  words  of  my  sermon  yesterday  called  on 
sinners  instantly  to  flee  to  Jesus,  and  seek  refuge  from 
the  penalties  of  a  broken  law.  May  the  Lord  help 
me  and  mine  to  be  ready  and  prepared  for  the  judg- 
ment day ! 

"  Feb.  26th. — Finished  a  discourse  on  Amos  iv.  12, 
*  Prepare  to  meet  thy  God.'  Seventeen  years  i^o, 
Feb.  26th,  1807,  I  took  a  last  view  of  England.  I 
pray  God  that  I  may  see  it  again  in  peace  ;  I  thought 
then  I  should  never  again  see  it,  which  may  still  be 
the  case.  Oh  God,  my  Saviour,  prepare  me  to  meet 
Thee  in  mercy ! 

^^  Sunday  29th. — Read  prayers  and  preached.  Had 
a  headache  all  day. 

"March  1st. — Blows  fresh.  Headache  continued 
in  the  morning.  The  Captain  expects  to  reach  Eng- 
land about  the  27th  of  this  month. 

"  March  7th,  Sunday. — ^The  ship  lay  over  much, 
and  the  wind  blew  unsteadily,  which  *  prevented  the 
building  of  a  church.'  Headache.  Crossed  the  tropic 
of  cancer,  in  the  latitude  of  Macao— thither  my 
heart  returns.  I  have  spent  in  China  the  most  in- 
teresting period  of  my  life.     My  beloved,  afflicted — 


1823.]  OF    HIS   VOYAGE    UOM£.  247 

now  blessed  Mary ! — thy  memory  is  dear  to  me. 
Many  were  our  sorrows,  but  the  Lord  mingled  many 
mercies  in  our  cup  of  affliction ;  and  our  sins,  I  hum- 
bly hope,  He  graciously  forgave,  according  to  his 
promises  declared  unto  mankind,  in  Christ  Jesus  our 
Lord. 

17th. — Yesterday  I  was  again  distressed  by  a  head- 
ache, which  prevented  my  reading  or  writing.  We 
are  now  within  sixty  miles  of  the  latitude  of  the  Lizard 
Point" 

The  following  letter  from  the  Dutch  clergymen  at 
the  Cape,  contains  the  request  mentioned  in  the 
journal  for  Dr.  Morrison's  sermon. 

FROM  THE  REV.  MR.  FAURE. 
"  My  Dear  BRCXrHER,       "  ^^  Street,  Jan.  31,  1824. 

"  I  hope  you  will  excuse  the  liberty  I  used  last 
night  of  taking,  with  Mr.  Moffat's  consent,  your  ex- 
cellent sermon,  for  perusing  it  again  at  home.  I 
should  feel  particularly  obliged  to  you  if  you  would 
allow  me  to  take  a  copy  of  it,  and  have  it  printed  in 
the  Dutch  language  ;  being  fully  convinced  that  it 
will  be  a  great  mean,  under  God,  of  furthering  the 
cause  of  Missions  in  this  colony. 

"  Should  you  allow  me  that  favour,  I  will  not  fail 
of  having  it  copied  immediately,  and  return  you  the 
original  in  the  course  of  this  day. 

"  I  am,  with  best  respects, 

"  My  dear  Brother, 
"  Your's,  in  the  cause  of  our  Divine  Master, 

"  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison.  "  A.  Faure." 

Dr.  Philip  being    from  home   when  Dr  Morrison 


248  C0RRB8P0NDENCE.  [1824. 

visited  the   Cape,  upon  his  return  he  expressed  his 
regret  at  this  circumstance  in  the  annexed  letter  : — 


TO  THE  REV.  DR.  MORRISON. 

*'  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  March  8,  1824. 

''Mt  Dear  Brother  Morrison, 

"  I  cannot  tell  you  how  grieved  I  was  on  finding 
you  had  left  Cape  Town  before  my  arrival.  I  received 
the  intelligence  of  your  being  in  Table  Bay,  several 
hundred  miles  from  Cape  Town,  and  I  travelled  at 
the  rate  of  sixty  and  seventy  miles  a  day  on  horse 
back  to  see  you,  but  it  appears  to  have  been  the  will 
of  Heaven,  that  we  should  not  on  this  occasion  have 
met.  Accept  of  my  best  thanks  for  the  valuable  tokens 
of  your  esteem  and  confidence  you  left  me.  The  box 
will  be  kept  as  a  memorandum  of  you,  and  transmitted 
to  my  children,  which  they  will,  I  hope,  retain  as  an 
heirloom  in  the  family.  Your  sermon  you  left  for  me, 
with  the  liberty  of  printing  and  publishing  it,  provided 
I  approved  of  it,  meets  my  entire  approbation.  There 
is  nothing  in  it  I  am  disposed  to  controvert,  and  seve- 
ral passages  I  feel  strongly  disposed  to  mark  with  my 
approbation.  None,  but  one  who  has  been  long  in 
the  field  of  Missions,  could  have  written  such  a  ser- 
mon, and  I  am  of  opinion  it  should  be  published  for 
more  extensive  usefulness.  Owing  to  the  liberty  you 
have  kindly  granted  me,  it  is  my  intention  to  have  it 
published  as  soon  as  the  present  pressure  of  business 
is  off  my  hands,  and  to  accompany  the  sermon  with 
notes,  illustrating  and  supporting  its  chief  positions. 
While  I  readily  accept  the  ofiice  of  being  your  editor 
and  annotator,  I  must  guard  you  against  allowing  any 
of  your  friends  in  England  to  filch  a  copy  from  you 
to  have  it  published  there.     I  shall  send  home  copies. 


1824.]  CORRESPONDENCE.  249 

and  after  it  has  been  printed  at  the  Cape,  let  them 
publish  as  many  editions  as  they  please.  My  disap- 
pointment in  not  haying  seen  you  has  been  great.  I 
had  so  much  to  send  home  by  you  that  I  cannot  com- 
municate to  any  one  else  in  the  same  manner ;  but 
what  shall  I  say  ? — "  The  will  of  the  Lord  be  done." 
"  If  you  possibly  can  come  out  by  the  Cape,  do  it. 
A  few  weeks'  interview  may  be  of  great  use  to  us  both, 
and  to  the  Missions  in  general."        •        •        • 

"  I  am,  your's, 
"  My  dear  brother  in  the  Lord, 

"  John  Philip." 

The  interview  so  anxiously  desired  by  the  writer  of 
the  above,  took  place  before  Dr.  Morrison's  departure 
from  England,  in  consequence  of  the  return  of  Dr.  P. 
from  the  Cape  on  affairs  of  importance  to  the  Colony* 


MEMOIR, 

&C. 

PERIOD  V. 

FROM  HIS  ARRIVAL  IN  ENGLAND,  IN  18^,  TO  HIS  DEATH, 

IN  1834. 

Section  VIII. 


FROM  1824  TO  1826. 


ArriTtl  in  £]igland.^Deteiitioii  of  his  Chinese  Books  at  the  Cnitom  House.— 
Oliject  in  bringing  them  to  England. — Application  to  the  Treasury  to  hare 
the  duties  remitted.— Presented  to  George  the  Fourth. — The  King*s  accept- 
ance of  a  copy  of  the  Bible  in  Chinese. — Reception  by  the  Court  of  Di- 
rectors.— Public  Engagements.— Marriage. —  Elected  Fellow  of  the  Royal 
Society. — ^Established  the  Language  Institution. —  Published  the  Chinese 
Miscellany,  Parting  Memorial,  &c. — Departure  from  England. 

The  high  reputation  to  which  the  subject  of  this 
narrative  had  risen  in  every  department  he  filled  as  a 
public  character,  long  preceded  his  arrival  in  Europe, 
and  secured  him  a  reception  from  all  ranks  of  the 
community,  corresponding  to  tlie  just  estimation  in 
which  his  talents  and  labours  were  held. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  there  is  no  journal  extant 
of  this  interesting  period  of  Dr,  Morrison's  history ; 
and  that  the  state  of  his  mind,  and  the  results  of  his 
visit  to  his  native  land,  can  be  but  imperfectly  illus- 
trated by  extracts  from  a  correspondence  conducted 
under  the  hurry  and  fatigue  of  travelling,  or  the  ex- 
citement of  public  engagements,  with  which  he  was 
overwhelmed,  upon  his  arrival  in  this  country. 


252  ARRIVAL    IN    ENGLAND.  [1824. 

The  event  of  his  landing,  and  the  cause  of  his  de- 
tention in  London,  are  briefly  noticed  in  the  following 
letter  to  the  iViend  under  whose  care  his  son  had  been 
placed  for  education. 

TO  THE  REV.  DR.  CLUNIE. 

"  York  Street,  London,  March  24th,  1824. 

"  My  Dear  John, 
"  It  is  a  very  unexpected  thing  for  me  to  write  to 
you  from  London.  O  how  different  are  the  arrange- 
ments of  Providence  from  our  intentions  and  antici- 
pations !  I  arrived  here  on  the  23rd  instant,  about  four^ 
p.  M.  The  ship  ^  Waterloo '  conveyed  me  from  China 
to  England,  via  Cape  and  St.  Helena,  in  a  hundred 
days.  At  the  Start  Point,  I  disembarked  in  a  smug- 
gler, and  landed  at  Salcombe,  a  small  seaport  town  in 
Devonshire,  from  thence  I  proceeded  towards  London. 
On  the  21st,  being  Sunday,  and  only  five  miles  jour- 
ney to  Kingsbridge,  I  preached  in  the  evening,  at  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Davis'  chapel,  to  a  crowded  audience.  My 
general  health  is  as  usual, — I  still  have  headaches 
occasionally.  Having  brought  home  10,000  volumes 
of  Chinese  booksy  for  the  landing  of  which,  I  must 
apply  to  the  Lords  of  the  Treasury,  I  shall  not  be 
able  to  go  down  to  see  John,  Robert,  and  all  of  you, 
for  some  time  yet.  The  cold  winds  rather  hurt  my 
eyes,  and  therefore  excuse  the  brevity  of  this. 

"  Farewell, 

"  Peace  be  with  you ! 

"  Your's  affectionately, 

"  R.  Morrison.'" 

Previously  to  his  leaving  China,  Dr.  Morrison  stated 
to  the  British  authorities  there,  his  object  in  bringing 


1824.]  CHINESE    LIBRARY,  &C.  253 

to  England  this  valuable  collection  of  Chinese  books ; 
many  of  which  were  obtained  with  great  difficulty,  as 
the  Chinese  government  make  it  illegal  for  the  natives 
to  sell  their  books  to  foreigners  ;  many  of  the  works  also 
were  scarce  and  expensive,  so  that  the  cost  of  the  whole 
amounted  to  upwards  of  £2,000 :  but  with  his  charac- 
teristic liberality  of  mind,  he  proposed  offering  this 
library  as  a  gift  to  either  of  the  then  existing  univer- 
sities, on  condition  of  their  instituting  a  professorship 
of  the  Chinese  language,  for  the  instruction  of  indivi- 
duals desirous  of  studying  it,  for  religious,  or  other 
purposes;   this    design  being    stated  in  a  memorial 
to  Ae  Lords  of  the  Treasury,  a  remission  of  the  du- 
ties levied  on  foreign  books  was  requested,  Dr.  Mor- 
rison remained  in  London  for  some  time,  in  a  state 
of  uncertainty,  respecting  the  result  of  his  application ; 
there  having  arisen  some  difficulty  in  making  a  prece- 
dent, by  extending  to  an  individual  a  privilege,  which 
had  hitherto  been  limited  to  benevolent  societies ;  he 
was  in  consequence  informed,  that  the  library  would 
be  allowed  to  pass  duty  free,  only  upon  an  application 
from  some  public  Body,  for  whom  it  was  designed. 
With  this  condition.  Dr.  Morrison  was  not  prepared  to 
comply,   as   he   had  not   then   determined   to   what 
institution  it  should  be  entrusted ;  for  if  it  were  trans- 
ferred to  any  institution  where  the  public  would  be 
denied  free  access  to  it,  his  intention  in  bringing  it  to 
the  country,  would  be  entirely  defeated ;  and  to  one 
who  had  effected  so  much  for  the  interests  of  religion 
and   literature,   and    who    had   devoted   the    largest 
portion  of  his  small   income  to  promote   benevolent 
objects,  it  seemed  a  peculiar  hardship  that  so  liberal 
an  effort  for  the  public  good,  should  not  meet  with 
the  enouragement  it  merited,  merely  on  the  ground  of  its 
being  effected  by  tWztuWi^a/,  instead  of  o^^octa^e^f  effort. 


254  APPLICATION   TO  THB  TREASURY.  [1824. 

Dr.   Morrison,  therefore,    concluded    to    let    the 
matter  rest;  having  other  objects  of  importance  to  the 
cause  in  which  he  engaged,  to  accomplish,  in  the  short 
space  of  time  to  which  he  had  limited  his  stay  in  the 
country ;  besides,  his  contemplated  visit  to  his  children, 
and  relatives   in  the  north,  whom  he  longed   once 
more  to  behold,  was  already  postponed  beyond  the 
time  he  proposed  being  with  them.     Many  of  Dr. 
Morrison's  friends  were,  in  the  mean  time,  warmly 
interested  in  furthering  his  views,  with  regard  to  the 
judicious  disposal  of  his  library.     Among  these  were 
the  late  Mr.  Joseph  Butterworth,  Mr.  Alers  Hankey, 
but  more  especially  Sir  George  Staunton,  who  did  not 
allow  the  matter  to  rest,  until  by  his   zealous   exer- 
tions, together  with  the  friendly  disposition  of  several 
of  his  Majesty's  ministers,  towards  Dr.  Morrison's  per- 
son and  labours  :  the  books  were  finally  allowed  to  pass 
free  of  duty.     A  selection  from  the  correspondence  on 
this  subject,  as  well  as  that  in  connection  with  Dr. 
Morrison's  introduction  to  His  Majesty  George  the 
Fourth,  will  illustrate  the  above  statement. 

TO  THE  REV.  DR.  MORRISON,  &c.  &c. 

"  My  Dear  Sir,  "  House  of  Commons,  Friday. 

"  I  have  just  had  a  long  interview  with  Mr.  Wynn, 
and  have  had  much  conversation  with  him  respecting 
you,  the  result  of  which  is  very  satisfactory.  He 
promises  to  apply  to  the  Treasury  to  get  your  books 
delivered  to  you  immediately^  duty  free.  I  had  been 
before  at  the  Treasury,  and  seen  the  letter  on  the  sub- 
ject, which  they  had  then  determined  to  write  to  you, 
and  which  you  have  no  doubt  received. 

"  Mr.  Wynn  has  also  very  handsomely  agreed  to 
present  you  himself  to  the  king  on  Wednesday,  and  to 


1824.]  PRESENTATION    TO   THE   KINO.  255 

consult  with  Mr.  Peel,  about  the  best  mode  of  laying 
before  his  Majesty  your  translation  of  the  Scriptures  ; 
under  these  circumstances  it  might  not  be  necessary 
for  me  to  go — but  as  you  are  a  stranger,  Mr.  Wynn 
wishes  me  to  accompany  you,  in  order  to  ensure  your 
finding  him,  and  putting  you  at  the  proper  moment 
into  his  hands, — and  this  I  shall  be  happy  to  do,  and 
shall  therefore,  as  before  settled,  call  for  you,  in  Bemei's- 
street,  on  Wednesday,  at  half-past  one.  Remember, 
you  are  engaged  to  dine  with  me  on  that  day  at 
half-past  six. 

"  I  have  also  seen  Mr.  Murray  respecting  your 
Dictionary,  the  result  of  which  I  will  mention  when 
we  meet  to-morrow. 

"  You  easily  perceive  that  I  should  have  been 
most  happy  to  present  you  to  his  Majesty  my- 
selfy  but  I  thought  it  would  be  most  for  your  advan- 
tage to  have  Mr.  Wynn  of  the  party  if  possible. 

"  Your's  in  great  haste,  most  truly, 

"  Geo.  Thos.  Staunton." 

"  I  enclose  you  a  copy  of  a  letter  to  Lord  Liver- 
pool, which  I  have  just  sent  to  his  Lordship,  and  hope 
you  will  approve  of  what  I  have  written,  I  have  no 
doubt  but  that  you  will  obtain  the  books  free  of  duty  ; 
what  I  have  written  will,  I  trust,  favourably  dispose 
Lord  Liverpool's  mind  to  the  subject." 

At  the  appointed  time.  Dr.  Morrison  accompanied 
Sir  George  Staunton  to  the  Levee ;  and,  on  being 
presented  to  the  King,  his  Majesty  recognised  him 
in  a  manner,  that  was  as  honourable  to  himself, 
as  it  was  gratifying  to  the  friend  who  was  chiefly 
instrumental  in  procuring  for  him  this  mark  of  dis- 
tinction.    The  King's  gracious  acceptance  of  a  copy 


256  CORRESPOKDBNCE.  [1824. 

of  the  Sacred  Scriptures  in  Chinese,  and  a  map  of 
Peking,  was  signified  in  the  following  communications 
fipom  the  Right  Hon.  Sir  R.  Peel,  and  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Sumner  (now  Bishop  of  Winchester). 

TO  SIR  GEORGE  STAUNTON,  BART.,  &e.,  &c.,  &c. 

"  My  Dear  Sm,  "  WhitehaU,  April  12th,  1824. 

"  In  laying  before  his  Majesty  the  Chinese  Bible, 
I  have  not  failed  to  mention  to  his  Majesty  the  very 
singular  and  meritorious  exertions  which  have  been 
made  by  Dr.  Morrison  to  promote  religion  and  litera- 
ture in  the  East. 

"  His  Majesty  has  commanded  me  to  convey  through 

you  to  Dr.  Morrison,  the  expression  of  his  marked 

approbation   of  that  gentleman^s   distinguished   and 

useful  labours. 

"  I  have  the  honour  to  be, 

"  My  dear  Sir, 
"  Your  most  obedient  and  faithful  servant, 

"  Robert  Peel." 

TO  the  reverend  R.  MORRISON,  &c.,  &e. 
w  Sm,  "  Carlton  Palace,  April  14th,  1824. 

^^  I  have  received  his  Majesty ^s  commands  to  con- 
vey to  you  his  Majesty's  acknowledgements,  and  to 
express  his  sense  of  your  attention  in  presenting, 
through  Mr.  Peel,  a  copy  of  your  Chinese  Bible. 

^^  His  Majesty  has  been  pleased  to  direct  me  to 
take  it  into  my  particular  care,  as  an  important  and 
valuable  addition  to  his  Library. 

"  I  have  the  honour  to  be.  Sir, 

"  Your  obedient  and  faithful  servant, 

^^  Charles  R.  Sumner, 

"  Librarian." 


18  24.]  THE  KINQ*S  ACCEPTANCE  OF  A  MAP.  257 

FROM  THE  SAME. 
«  Sib,  "  Carlton  Palace,  April  19th,  1824. 

"  I  have  the  pleasure  to  inform  you,  that  I  have 
had  the  honour  of  laying  before  his  Majesty  your 
letter  of  the  Idth  instant,  and  am  commanded  to  ac- 
quaint you,  that  the  King  will  receive  with  pleasure 
the  Map  of  Peking,  which  you  have  intimated  a  wish 
of  presenting. 

**  I  am  further  directed  to  inform  you,  that  this 
additional  mark  of  your  attention  has  been  received 
very  graciously  by  his  Majesty. 

"  If  you  will  have  the  goodness  to  send  the  Map  in 
question  to  me  at  Carlton  House,  I  shall  lose  no  time 
in  la3n[ng  it  before  the  King. 

**  I  hope  you  will  permit  me  to  add,  that  I  have  had 

many  conversations   with    my  friend  Gilbert  Mat* 

thbon  respecting  you  ;  and  that  I  shall  take  the  first 

.  opportunity  of  my  being  in  town,  to  request  him  to 

present  me  to  you. 

"  I  have  the  honour  to  be,  Sir, 
^^  Your  obedient  and  faithful  servant, 

"  Charles  R.  Sumner," 

**  Librarian. 

"  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison,  &c.,  &c.,  &c. 

Such  honourable  testimonials  as  were  transmitted, 
from  time  to  time,  by  the  East  India  Company's  re- 
presentatives in  China,  respecting  Dr.  Morrison's  ser- 
vices, could  not  fail  of  removing  every  apprehension 
formerly  entertained,  that  his  connexion  with  their 
establishment  would  be  attended  with  detriment  to 
their  commercial  interests ;  while  by  the  despatches 
which  took  place  at  the  time  of  his  leaving  China,  he 
Vol.  II.  s 


258  RECEPnON    BT   HON.    E.    I.    COMPAKT.        [1824. 

was  introduced  to  the  Court  of  Directors  in  an  official 
letter,  from  which  the  following  extract  was  ob- 
tained : — 

"  Dec.  5,  1823.  We  cannot  permit  Dr.  Morrison  to 
depart  from  the  situation  which  he  has  held  for  six- 
teen years  in  this  establishment,  with  eminent  advan- 
tage to  the  interests  of  the  Honourable  Company, 
without  expressing  the  strong  sense  we  entertain  of  the 
importance  of  his  services,  and  of  the  perfect  satis- 
faction we  have  derived  from  his  abilities,  and  general 
deportment,  during  his  residence  in  this  country. 
We  trust,  therefore,  we  may  be  permitted  to  introduce 
Dr.  Morrison  to  the  notice  of  your  Honourable  Court, 
as  a  gentleman,  meriting  your  best  attentions.'' 

To  the  above,  which  was  signed  by  all  the  Members 
of  the  Select  Committee,  was  added,  a  request  that 
during  Dr.  Morrison's  absence  from  China,  he  might 
receive  the  half  of  his  yearly  income, — a  request 
which  was  most  handsomely  complied  with.  By 
the  Court  of  Directors,  as  a  body,  and  by  several 
of  its  members  individually.  Dr.  Morrison  was  re- 
ceived, and  treated  in  a  manner  which  shewed  how 
highly  they  appreciated  his  character  and  labours; 
and  as  a  public  mark  of  respect,  he  was  invited  to  a 
dinner  given  by  the  Honourable  Court  of  Directors, 
where  he  was  introduced  to  some  of  the  most  distin- 
guished characters  of  the  day.  But  matters  6f  a 
personal  nature,  however  gratifjang  in  themselves, 
held  a  very  subordinate  place  in  the  estimation  of 
one,  whose  supreme  object  was  to  promote  the  divine 
glory,  and  the  good  of  his  fellow-creatures.  The 
following  note,  written  about  three  weeks  after  his 
arrival  in  England,  illustrates  the  prevailing  state  of 
his  mind. 


1824*]  CORRESPONDENCE.  259 

"  TO  SIR  GEORGE  STAUNTON,  BART.»» 
**  My  Dear  Sm,  Bemers  Street,  April  12th,  1824. 

<<  I  regret  my  absence  when  you  twice  honoured 
me  with  a  call.  Your  attention  to  my  concerns  lays 
me  under  the  greatest  obligations  to  you — ^but  I  will 
not  say  all  that  I  feel  for  your  kindness,  and  liberal 
and  essential  services.  *  *  *  I  am  trying  to  stir 
up  a  little  more  zeal  respecting  China — ^its  moral  and 
spiritual  affairs  amongst  my  friends,  who  are  but  little 
acquainted  with  the  state  of  society  in  the  Eastern 
hemisphere;  but  not  with  very  great  hopes  of  success. 
Who  knows  (they  say)  any  thing  about  China ! 

"  I  preached  twice  yesterday,  and  heard  the  re- 
nowned Mr.  Irving  in  the  evening.  The  discourse 
was  good,  but  nothing  very  extraordinary. 

"  Your's  sincerely, 

"  Robert  Morrison." 

It  would  appear  that  the  pressure  of  public  engage- 
ments at  this  time  left  Dr.  Morrison  little  leisure  for 
yielding  to  the  wishes  of  private  friends,  or  of  gra- 
tifying his  own  desire  for  retirement.  In  reply  to  a 
correspondent,  he  says  : — 

"  It  grieves  me  that  the  importunity  of  London 
friends  has  so  long  prevented  my  having  a  moment's 
leisure,  to  answer  your  kind  letter ;  my  health  is  toler- 
ably good,  but  if  I  be  so  much  occupied,  it  is  not 
likely  that  it  will  continue  so.         *  ♦         ♦         # 

To-morrow  I  set  off  for  Northumberland,  to  visit  the 
tombs  of  my  parents,  and  to  see  my  sister,  and  some 
other  early  friends.  How  little  did  I  once  think  of 
visiting  these  English  shores  again  !  but  our  purposes 
are  not  always  those  which  Providence  carries  into 
effect — good  is  the  will  of  our  Lord  and  Master  who  is 

in  heaven." 

s2 


2G0  VISIT   TO   NEWCACTLE.  [1824. 

Accordingly,  Dr.  Morrison  hastened  to  visit  the 
scenes  of  his  early  and  dearest  associations ;  here  his 
arrival  was  looked  for  with  affectionate  impatience 
by  his  surviving  relatives— K)ne  of  whom  observed^ 
"  Never  shall  I  forget  the  happiness  of  that  moment, 
when  I  found  myself  clasped  in  the  embrace  of  my 
best  and  dearest  friend ;  his  arrival  among  those  for 
whom  he  had  done  so  much,  excited  feelings,  which 
words  cannot  express." 

Dr.  Morrison^s  visits  to  Newcastle  were  necessarily 
short.  On  the  present  and  subsequent  occasions,  he 
preached  several  times  to  crowded  congregations,  so 
eager  was  the  desire  to  hear  him,  that  ^^  hundreds 
could  not  get  admittance."  He  arrived  on  the  evening 
of  the  18th  of  April,  and  left  on  the  23rd,  on  his  way 
to  Edinburgh ;  from  whence  he  returned  with  his 
daughter  to  Newcastle  again,  stopping  a  few  days 
there,  and  then  proceeding  to  Manchester,  in  order  to 
convey  his  son,  who  was  there,  to  London,  to  be  pre* 
sent  at  the  meetings  of  the  different  societies  which 
take  place  in  May.  On  this  occasion,  his  visit  was 
not  generally  known,  till  it  was  announced  in  the 
public  papers,  that  their  "  great  and  celebrated  towns- 
man. Dr.  Morrison,  was  to  preach  in  the  High  Bridge 
Chapel  (belonging  to  the  Church  of  Scotland),  on  the 
21st  instant :"  afterwards  he  was  waited  on  by  the  civil 
authorities,  and  invited  to  a  public  dinner,  given  in 
honour  of  his  visit.  In  a  letter  addressed  to  Sir  George 
Staunton,  Dr.  Morrison  says,  "  My  reception  in  this 
town  is  as  kind  as  I  could  possibly  wish.  It  is  in* 
teresting  to  me  to  revisit  the  streets  and  fields,  where 
I  lived  happily  as  a  poor  bashful  boy,  thirty  years 
ago."  But  it  was  with  no  small  degree  of  disappoint- 
ment that  he  found  little  traces  of  the  rural  scenes  so 
deeply  engraven  on  his  memory,  owing  to  the  dis- 


1824.]  REMINISCENCES.  26 1 

figuring  effects  of  coal-pits  in  the  neighbourhood ;  and 
referring  to  this  subject,  several  years  after,  he  re- 
marks, in  a  letter  to  his  niece, — "  I  felt  deep  interest 
in  travelling  over  again  the  walks  of  my  boyhood : 
St.  John's  Church,  the  Forth,  Maiden  Lane,  the  river- 
side—once so  lovely  to  me — ^now,  the  dirty  new 
coal-shaft  has  disfigured  all  the  high  bank  healthy 
walks,  with  the  river  between,  and  the  wind-mill 
hills  opposite :  at  four  or  five  in  the  morning,  winter 
and  summer,  have  I  sallied  forth  to  the  walks  I  have 
now  alluded  to— but,  ah !  how  changed  the  circum- 
stances. Holy  Scripture,  Prayer,  the  Sabbath,  and 
the  assembly  of  God's  people,  were  then  my  delight- 
days  never  to  return.  But  there  is  a  better  country, 
Hannah,  and  in  China,  I  am  as  near  to  it  as  in  Eng- 
land— oh,  to  be  fitted  for  it." 

The  importunate  solicitations  with  which  Dr.  Mor- 
rison was  assailed,  from  all  parts  of  the  united  king- 
dom, to  advocate  the  claims  of  benevolent  societies,  or 
gratify  the  wishes  of  private  friendship,  were,  al- 
though gratifying  testimonies  to  his  acknowledged 
merit,  still  scarcely  regulated  by  due  consideration, 
for  the  peculiar  circumstances  in  which  he  was  placed  ; 
hence  we  find  him  remonstrating  with  a  friend,  in 
reply  to  a  request  that  he  would  preach  two  sermons, 
for  some  special  purpose,  on  his  return  to  Manches- 
ter ;  this  letter  is  dated, 

"  Newcastle,  April  20th,  1824. 

*  *  "I  arrived  here  on  Monday  evening. 
On  Thursday,  or  Friday  next,  (if  the  Lord  will,)  I 
shall  leave  this  place,  and  proceed  to  Manchester, 
and  will  try  to  preach  one  sermon  for  you ;  twoj  I 
think  out  of  the  question.  It  does  appear  to  me  in- 
considerate of  my  friends,  to  expect,  after  so  many 
years'  study  of  a  barren  Pagan  language,  that  I  should, 


262  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1824. 

the  moment  I  land,  amidst  a  thousand  various  avoca- 
tionSy  which  dissipate  and  weary  the  mind,  forthwith 
ascend  the  pulpit,  and  preach  charity  sermons/' 

To  another  friend,  who  expressed  disappointment  at 
his  not  extending  his  journey  two  hundred  miles  farther, 
for  the  gratification  of  seeing  him,  he  writes,  on  the 
eve  of  his  leaving  Newcastle,  April  23rd : 

•  *  *  "  I  am  labouring  from  morning  to 
night,  and  from  day  to  day,  for  my  kindred,  and  for 
my  children,  and  for  the  public ;  and  sacrificing  all 
personal  considerations,  and  still  I  do  not  give  satisfac- 
tion. My  friends  are  most  unmerciful,  requiring  of 
me  more  than  I  can  do ;  and  seeming  offended  be- 
cause I  do  not  perform  impossibilities.  From  London 
to  Newcastle  is,  by  the  route  I  shall  travel,  here  and 
back,  about  six  hundred  miles,  which  I  must  perform 

with  little  intermission ;  and  you,  my  dear  M p 

are  displeased  because  I  have  not  made  it  eight  hun- 
dred! I  have  had  no  rest  here,  from  five  in  the 
morning  till  eleven  at  night,  and  must  set  off  to- 
morrow at  five  o'clock  again.  Do  pity,  instead  of 
blaming, 

"  Your's  affectionately, 

"  Robert  Morrison/' 

It  may  seem  superfluous  to  state,  what  would  be 
inferred  as  a  natural  consequence,  viz.,  that  by  every 
section  of  the  Christian  community,  who  could  justly 
appreciate  tlie  labours  of  the  first  Protestant  Mis- 
sionary to  China,  his  presence  in  their  assemblies, 
after  seventeen  years  of  successful  toil,  was  hailed 
with  expressions  of  the  most  devout  joy  and  thankful- 
ness ;  that  such  feelings  were  not  the  mere  result  of 


1824.]  LETTERS   TO    DR.    MORRISON.  263 

momentary  excitement,  the  following  extracts,  from  a 
numerous  private  correspondence,  will  serve  to  show : — 

*  •  *  "  It  is  with  unspeakable  pleasure  that  I 
congratulate  you  on  your  safe  arrival  in  England. 
How  gracious  God  has  been  to  you  since  you  left  it ! 
And,  though  trials  and  sorrows  have  been  strewed  in 
your  path,  of  how  many  mercies,  and  what  distin- 
guished honours,  such  as  Avill  never  fade,  have  you 
partaken !  I  rejoice,  my  dear  brother,  that  He  who 
so  pre-eminently  blessed  you  with  your  heart's  desire, 
in  tlie  translation  of  the  Word  of  Life  to  the  millions 
of  China,  will  not  suffer  that  inestimable  boon  to  be 
conferred  in  vain.  You  may  have  *sown  in  tears/ 
but  you  *shair  yet  ^reap  in  joy.'  And,  were  you  to 
die  without  beholding  the  ripened  and  plenteous  har- 
vest, you  would  not  cease  to  believe,  that  his  *  word 
shall  not  return  unto  him  void.'  Millions  shall  yet 
bless  your  memory,  wliile  they  feast  on  the  rich  food 
which  you  were  permitted  to  spread  before  them.  I 
say  not  this  to  fan  the  spark  of  self-congratulation ; 
but  to  excite  the  purest  gratitude  to  Him  *  who  counted 
you  worthy,  putting  you  into'  this  ^  ministry.'  May 
the  remainder  of  your  days  be  equally  honoured,  and 
more  abundantly  blessed ;  and  may  your  dear  son  rise 
up,  and  tread  in  your  steps,  cequis  passibuSy — and  the 
God  of  Israel,  who  is  the  God  of  the  whole  earth, 
'  bless  him,  and  make  him  a  blessing/  to  millions." 

Another  Avrites, — 

•  #  #  u  J  rejoice,  and  am  exceeding  glad,  to 
hear  of  your  return.  I  can  truly  say,  that  I  have 
often  pleaded  on  your  behalf  at  the  throne  of  Divine 
mercy.  I  cannot  but  greatly  rejoice  to  hear  how  the 
Lord  has  honoured  you,  as  an  instrument  in  his  hands, 


264  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1824. 

and  preserved  your  valuable  life  by  sea  and  land,  at 
home  and  abroad.  As  there  are  those  still  alive  who 
told  you,  *  that  the  hot  weather  had  turned  your  brain,' 
so  I  humbly  hope  and  trust  they  are  now  constrained 
to  see  that  you  were  in  your  ^  right  mind '  then,  as 
well  as  now.  Well,  my  dear  brother,  you  will  unite 
with  me,  and  give  all  the  glory  to  Him,  to  whom 
alone  it  is  due.  Sanctified  learning,  under  the  in- 
fluence of  the  Spirit,  is  a  great  blessing.  I  am  far 
from  falling  in  with  a  learned  Doctor's  maxim,  '  that 
the  grace  of  God  makes  a  man  a  christian,  but  learn- 
ing makes  him  a  minister  of  Christ.'  I  acknowledge 
that  the  grace  of  God  makes  a  christian ;  but  that 
learning,  added  to  the  grace  which  he  has  received, 
makes  him  a  minister  of  Christ,  I  deny ;  for  then  it 
would  follow,  that  every  learned  christian  is  qualified 
to  be  a  minister,  and  that  learning  is  an  essential 
qualification  to  preach  the  gospel.  That  learning, 
without  grace,  is  deemed  by  some  a  sufiicient  qualifi- 
cation, to  me,  appears  wonderful  indeed.  This  asser- 
tion is  certainly  erroneous ;  e.  g.  1  might  mention  a 
young  man,  whose  parents  intended  him  to  be  the 
most  eminent  and  learned  minister  in  the  present  age ; 
they  spared  no  cost  or  pains  to  accomplish  their  de- 
sign ;  the  young  man  drank  in  greedily  the  know- 
ledge of  all  the  languages,  and  made  very  great  pro- 
gress in  every  branch  of  literature.  But,  when  he 
came  to  study  divinity,  he  turned  out  an  accomplished 
deist,  &c.  My  dear  brother,  I  thank  God  from  the 
very  bottom  of  my  heart,  and  with  all  my  soul,  for 
giving  you  grace  and  learning  also.  You  had  great 
need  of  both.  Your  work  has  been  arduous,  as  well 
as  honourable.  God  has  enabled  you  to  do  a  great 
work,  which  will  prove  a  lasting  blessing  to  the  world, 
till  the  final  consummation  of  all  things ;  and  the  good 


1824.]  PRESENCE   TS    PUBLIC    MEETINGS.  265 

accruing  from  it  will  last  as  long  as  the  deathless  soul, 
and  the  throne  of  God."    •    •    * 

Having  visited  his  friends  at  Leith,  Newcastle,  and 
Lancashire,  Dr.  Morrison  again  returned  to  the  me* 
tropolis  about  the  beginning  of  May,  in  order  to  be 
present  at  the  Anniversary  Meetings  of  the  different 
religious  societies,  which  are  held  during  that  month, 
and  in  whose  great  designs  for  ameliorating  the  moral 
and  spiritual  condition  of  the  human  family,  he  largely 
participated.  Among  those  in  which  he  took  a  more 
prominent  part  on  this  occasion,  were,  the  London 
Missionary  Society ;  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society;  the  Religious  Tract  Society;  the  Prayer 
Book  and  Homily  Society ;  and  the  Port  of  London 
Society — for  all  of  which,  he  continued  to  be  an  eflB- 
cient  agent,  until  death  terminated  those  labours  of  love. 
As  there  is  not,  perhaps,  in  the  annals  of  these  Socie- 
ties, (especially  the  two  first-mentioned),  a  circum- 
stance recorded  that  appears  to  have  called  forth  live- 
lier feelings  of  delight  than  Dr.  Morrison's  presence 
in  them,  accompanied  by  the  results  of  his  labours, 
which  were  received  with  expressions  of  enthusiastic 
applause,  and  reverted  to,  in  powerful  and  eloquent 
speeches,  by  several  distinguished  individuals  present ; 
an  abstract  of  their  respective  reports  may  be  inter- 
esting to  the  reader.  The  London  Missionary  Society's 
states — "  Dr.  Morrison,  from  China,  presented  to  tfie 
Society  a  copy  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testament,  translated  by  himself  and  the  late 
Dr.  Milne  ;  and  also  a  copy  of  the  Chinese  and  Eng- 
lish Dictionary.  These  were  received  by  the  Society 
with  the  warmest  expressions  of  satisfaction." 

On  a  motion  of  the  Rev.  J.  Julien,  vicar  of  Turn- 
ley,  seconded  by  Joseph  Buttcrworth,  Esq.,  M.  P., — 


266  ADDRESS   BY    J.    BUTTERWORTU,    ESQ.  [1624. 

^^  That  this  Meeting  contemplates  with  sacred  delight 
the  completion  of  a  Translation  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures into  the  Chinese  language,  by  the  Divine  bless- 
ing on  the  unwearied  labours  of  the  esteemed  Mission- 
ary of  this  Society,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison,  assisted  by 
the  late  lamented  Dr.  Milne,  &c." 

After  some  impressive  and  appropriate  remarks  by 
Mr.  Julien  on  the  subject,  Mr.  Butterworth  addressed 
the  Meeting  ;  congratulating  the  Society  on  the  suc- 
cess which  crowned  their  efforts  in  every  part  of  the 
world,  but  especially  in  what  had  been  achieved  in  a 
language  which,  twenty  years  before,  he  had  thought 
almost  unattainable ;  when,  atthattime,passing  through 
the  British  Museum,  he  observed  a  young  man  poring 
over  some  Chinese  manuscripts,  which  he  considered 
a  mere  waste  of  time :  but  now,  added  he,  "  What 
hath  God  wrought  by  his  instrumentality  !  He  has 
acquired  a  perfect  knowledge  of  the  language ;  he  has 
formed  a  Grammar  and  a  Dictionary  of  it ;  and  the 
whole  Scripture  is  translated  into  it:  the  table  is 
loaded  with  his  honourable  labours,  and  the  Christian 
world  is  deeply  indebted  to  him.  Dr.  Morrison  has 
also  collected  several  thousand  volumes  of  Chinese 
literature — an  extensive  library  which,  we  hope,  will 
induce  young  gentlemen  to  study  the  language,  and 
qualify  themselves  to  become  the  colleagues  or  the 
successors  of  our  valuable  friend." 

In  acknowledging  the  honourable  mention  of  his 
services,  Dr.  Morrison  reverted  to  the  desponding  feel- 
ings which  existed  in  the  minds  of  the  Missionary 
Directors,  with  regard  to  the  object  so  much  desired^ 
when  he  engaged  in  the  work  as  a  sort  of  mathemati- 
cian— sent  to  gain,  if  practicable,  a  residence  in 
China,  with  the  faint  hope  that  the  language  might 
be  acquired ;  and  then,  from  what  had  been  effected 


1824.]       ANNIVERSARY    OF   THE    BIBLE   SOCIETY.  267 

under  various  discouragements,  he  argued  the  prac- 
ticability of  accomplishing  the  entire  object  of  their 
wishes,  when,  with  the  Divine  assistance,  the  chris- 
tian church  would  put  forth  efforts  proportionate  to 
the  end  to  be  attained. 

The  Meeting  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society  was  also  rendered  peculiarly  interesting  this 
year,  not  only  by  the  addition  of  the  Bible  in 
Chinese,  to  its  sacred  stores,  but  also  from  the  testi- 
mony of  one  of  its  noble  patrons  (the  Earl  of  Roden) 
to  the  power  of  the  truths  contained  in  the  Inspired 
Volume,  in  turning  the  heart  from  darkness  to  light, 
and  from  satan  to  God  ;  as  well  as  to  sustain  the  mind, 
under  all  the  trials  and  calamities  which  are  common 
to  men,  as  exemplified  in  his  own  experience;  and 
this  happy  change,  as  his  lordship  stated,  was  brought 
about,  in  connexion  with  his  accidental  attendance  at 
an  Anniversary  Meeting  of  the  Bible  Society !  The 
Earl  of  Harrowby,  Lord  President  of  the  Council, 
then  addressed  the  Meeting ;  and,  in  a  comprehensive 
review  of  what,  through  Missionary  enterprise,  had 
been  effected  in  other  parts  of  the  world,  took  en- 
couragement to  hope,  as  it  respected  China ;  observ- 
ing that,  ^^  although  the  impression  made  therein  is 
hitherto  but  extremely  slight,  yet  it  is  wonderful  that 
the  difficulties  of  the  most  singular  language  in  the 
world  have  been  so  far  mastered,  that  a  translation  of 
the  entire  Scriptures  has  been  produced,  which,  sooner 
or  later,  under  the  blessing  of  that  God  who  gave  the 
learning  necessary  to  make  that  translation,  will  effect 
its  full  impression  on  the  largest  mass  of  human  beings 
known  to  exist  under  one  government  on  the  earth." 

The  impression  produced  on  the  Meeting  by  Dr. 
Morrison's  presenting  the  Sacred  Volume  in  Chinese, 
is  so  forcibly  described  by  the  Rev.  T.  S.  Grimshaw, 


268  LETTER   FROM    REV.    T.    8.    GRIMSUAW.        [1824. 

that  the  compiler  feels  it  would  be  an  injustice  to  the 
subject,  as  well  as  to  the  sentiments  of  that  elegant 
writer,  to  withhold  any  part  of  his  interesting  letter 
from  the  reader.     It  is  as  follows : — 

'*  Biddenham,  near  Bedford, 
Sept.  25,  1828. 

'^  Mt  Dear  Madam, 
"  Your  desire  to  collect  whatever  may  throw  light 
on  the  late  Dr.  Morrison's  early  predilection  for  the 
Chinese  language,  is  not  only  a  just  tribute  of  respect 
to  his  memory,  but  involves  a  very  essential  link  in 
the  history  of  so  distinguished  a  man.     It  is  also  an 
enquiry  deeply  interesting  to  every  pious  and  philo- 
sophic mind,  which  delights  to  trace  the  first  springs 
of  human  action,  or  to  mark  the  manner  of  God's 
providential  dealings.     If  in  the  arts  and  inventions 
of  civil  life,  we  are  curious  to  know  how  difficulties 
were    surmounted  by  human  toil    and    ingenuity, 
and  what  were  the  progressive  sts^es,  from  the  first 
imperfect  efforts  of  discovery  to  the  last  moment  of 
final  completion,  with  what  ardour  of  curiosity  must 
we  enquire  how  a  languc^e  was  undertaken  and  finally 
attained,  which  hitherto  seemed  inaccessible  to  Euro- 
pean zeal  and  talent,  and  yet  on  the  acquisition  of 
which,  were  suspended  the  spiritual  and  eternal  interests 
of  what  has  been  justly  called  Hhe  lai^est  associated 
population  in  the  whole  world.' 

"  The  only  fact  which  I  can  contribute  to  the  elu- 
cidation of  this  enquiry  is  the  following:  may  its 
interest  atone  for  the  brevity  of  the  information  that 
it  conveys. 

The  late  Joseph  Butterworth,  Esq.,  (a  name  which 
I  cannot  mention  without  recording  my  high  sense  of 
his  firm  integrity  and  unwearied  philanthropy),  de- 


1824.]  TO   MRS.    MORRISON.  269 

lighted  to  commemorate  the  Anniversary  of  the  Britisli 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  by  bringing  together  men 
of  different  denominations,  but  animated  by  the  same 
spirit.     He  cherished  the  hope  that  by  affording  the 
opportunity  of  discovering  how  much  the  points,  in 
which   they  were   agreed,  exceeded   those  in  which 
they   differed,   they   might  be   led   to   cultivate  the 
feelings  of  mutual  love  and  forbearance,  and  learn , 
that  if  they  were  ^members   of  Christ,'  they  must 
be  ^members  one  of  another/      I  beg  to  add,  that 
the  experiment  always  proved  highly  successful ;  nor 
can  I  avoid  expressing  the  conviction,  that  if  good 
men  of  all  parties  were  to  meet  oftener  together,  aspe- 
rities would  be  softened  down,  carnal  divisions  would 
cease,   audit  might  then  be  said  of   the    Christian 
church,  in  all  its  various  sections,  as  was  said  of  the 
vesture  of  the  Redeemer,  *  Now  the  tjoat  was  with- 
out seam,  woven  from  the  top  throughout.** 

"  The  Anniversary,  to  which  I  more  particularly 
allude,  occurred  in  the  year  1824.  The  day  had  been 
signalized  by  Dr.  Morrison  having  presented  to  Lord 
Teignmouth,  the  President,  before  a  crowded  and 
distinguished  auditory,  the  Chinese  version  of  the 
Bible,  executed  jointly  by  himself  and  the  late  Dr. 
Milne.  The  undertaking  was  said  to  have  been  the 
result  of  twenty  years'  laborious  toil  and  study,  and 
justly  considered  to  be  an  extraordinary  monument  of 
Christian  piety  and  perseverance.  Never  shall  I 
forget  the  deep  interest  of  that  impressive  occasion. 
Dr.  Morrison  appeared  in  the  front  of  the  platform, 
holding  the  precious  volume  in  his  hand.  Beside  him 
stood  his  youthful  son,  brought  forward,  as  it  were,  like 
another  Hannibal,  not  indeed  to  stand  pledged  c^ainst 
his  country's  foes,  but  to  be  consecrated,  on  the  altar 

*Johnxix.  23. 


« 


270  LETTER   FROM   THE  [1824. 

of  the  Bible  Society,  c^ainst  those  of  his  Redeemer, 
and  to  share  mth  his  father  in  the  honour  of  extending 
his  everlasting  kingdom.  It  was  a  sublime  feeling  of 
christian  thankfulness  and  joy,  mingled  with  many 
an  aspiration  of  prayer,  that  the  God  of  all  power  and 
grace  would  largely  bless  so  noble  a  labour  of  love. 
The  conversation  afterwards  naturally  turned  on  this 
interesting  subject. — Mr.  Butterworth  then  stated  the 
following  fact :  "  It  is  now  many  years  c^o,"  he  ob- 
served, "  that  in  visiting  the  Library  of  the  British 
Museum,  I  frequently  saw  a  young  man,  who  ap- 
peared to  be  deeply  occupied  in  his  studies.  The 
book  he  was  reading,  was  in  a  language  and  character 
totally  unknown  to  me.  My  curiosity  was  awakened, 
and  apologizing  to  him  for  the  liberty  I  was  taking,  I 
ventured  to  ask  what  was  the  language  that  engaged 
so  much  of  his  attention  ?"  "  The  Chinese,"  he  mo- 
destly replied.  ^^  And  do  you  understand  the  lan- 
guage Y'  I  said.  "  I  am  trying  to  understand  it,"  he 
added,  ^^  but  it  is  attended  with  singular  difficulty." 
"  And  what  may  be  your  object  ?"  continued  Mr. 
Butterworth,  *^  in  studying  a  languc^e  so  proverbially 
difficult  of  attainment,  and  considered  to  be  even  in- 
superable to  European  talent  and  industry  ?"  "  I  can 
scarcely  define  my  motives,"  he  remarked ;  "  all  that 
I  know  is,  that  my  mind  is  powerfully  wrought  upon 
by  some  strong  and  indescribable  impulse  ;  and  if  the 
language  be  capable  of  being  surmounted  by  human 
zeal  and  perseverance,  I  mean  to  make  the  experiment. 
What  may  be  the  final  result,  time  only  can  develope : 
I  have  as  yet  no  determinate  object  in  contemplation, 
beyond  the  acquisition  of  the  languf^e  itself." 

"Little  did  I  think,"  said  Mr.  Butterworth,  in 
closing  this  interesting  narrative,  "  that  I  then  beheld 
the  germ,  as  it  were,  of  that  great  undertaking,  the 


1824.]  REV.    T.    S.    ORIMSHAW.  271 

completion  of  which  we  have  witnessed  this  day  ; 
that  such  small  beginnings  would  lead  to  such  mighty 
results;  and  that  I  saw  before  me  the  honoured  in- 
strumenty  raised  up  by  the  Providence  of  God,  for  en- 
lightening so  large  a  portion  of  the  human  race,  and 
bringing  them  under  the  dominion  of  the  great  truths 
of  the  Gospel." 

"  I  need  not  add  how  fervently  we  all  shared  in 
these  anticipations :  one  gratification  alone  was  want- 
ing, I  mean  the  presence  of  Dr.  Morrison  himself, 
that  we  might  learn,  from  his  own  lips,  by  what  suc- 
cessive steps  he  had  been  enabled  to  surmount  all  the 
difficulties  of  so  arduous  an  undertaking.  *  *  * 
(He  was  that  day  the  guest  of  Lord  Teignmouth.) 
But  the  work  itself,  will  ever  remain  a  lasting  and  hon- 
ourable record,  of  what  human  ingenuity  and  perse- 
verance is  able  to  accomplish,  when  God's  glory,  and 
man's  eternal  interests,  are  the  grand  animating  mo- 
tives ;  and  that  there  is  nothing,  short  of  what  is 
morally  impossible,  that  religious  zeal  cannot  eifect, 
because  the  power  that  prompts  it  is  divine." 

During  the  following  part  of  this  year.  Dr.  Mor- 
rison visited  France,  Ireland,  Scotland,  and  the  prin- 
cipal towns  of  England,  chiefly  with  a  view  to  excite 
more  interest,  among  the  literary  and  religious  circles, 
in  behalf  of  the  moral  condition  of  the  heathen  ;  espe- 
cially those  inhabiting  the  regions  of  Eastern  Asia, 
whose  claims,  on  the  sympathy  and  benevolence  of  the 
christian  churches,  he  powerfully  advocated;  while 
the  obligations  of  christians  to  meet  those  claims,  were 
enforced  by  arguments,  founded  on  the  Saviour's  com- 
mission to  his  disciples  respecting  the  evangelizing  of 
the  world.  One  or  two  examples  of  the  spirit  and 
style  of  these  public  addresses,  may  afford  the  reader 


272  MORAL   CONDITION  [1824. 

some  idea  of  the  impression  they  were  calculated  to 
produce.  Respecting  the  intellectual  and  spiritual 
condition  of   the  Chinese,  the  preacher  remarks: — 

"  To  that  people,  the  God  of  heaven  has  given  an 
extensive  territory,  containing  large  portions  of  fer- 
tile, salubrioijs,  and  delightful  country ;  and  they 
possess  a  knowledge  of  the  useful  arts,  to  a  degree 
which  supplies  all  the  necessaries,  and  most  of  the 
luxuries,  of  life.  In  these  respects,  they  require 
nothing  from  Europe.  They  possess  also  ancient 
and  modem  literature  in  great  abundance ;  and  an 
unlicensed  press,  and  cheap  books  suited  to  their 
taste.  With  poetry,  and  music;  and  elegant  com- 
positions; and  native  ancient  classics;  and  copious 
histories  of  their  own  part  of  the  world ;  and  anti- 
quities, and  topographical  illustrations ;  and  dramatic 
compositions ;  and  delineations  of  men  and  manners^ 
in  works  of  fiction ;  and  tales  of  battles  and  of  mur- 
ders ;  and  the  tortuous  stratagems  of  protracted  and 
bloody  civil  wars.  With  all  these,  and  with  mytho- 
logical legends  for  the  superstitious,  the  Chinese,  and 
kindred  nations,  are,  by  the  press,  most  abundantly 
supplied.  Nor  is  their  literature  destitute  of  theories 
of  nature,  and  descriptions  of  her  various  productions, 
and  the  processes  of  the  pharmacopolist,  and  the  his- 
tory  and  practice  of  medicine. 

"  What,  then,  do  the  Chinese  require  from  Europe  ? 
— Not  the  arts  of  reading  and  printing;  not  merely 
general  education ;  not  what  is  so  much  haq)ed  on  by 
some  philanthropists— civilization :  they  require  that 
only  which  St.  Paul  deemed  supremely  excellent,  and 
which  it  is  the  sole  object  of  the  Missionary  Society  to 
communicate — ^they  require  the  knowledge  of  Christ. 
YoT  with  all  their  antiquity,  and  their  literature,  and 
their  arts   and  refinement,  they  are  still   infatuated 


1824.]  OF   THE   CUIN£S£.  273 

idolaters  ;  and  are  given  up  to  vile  affections,  working 
that  whicli  is  unseemly.  Not  liking  to  retain  Qod  in 
their  knowledge,  they  worship  and  serve  the  creature 
rather  than  the  Creator ;  they  are  haters  of  the  true 
God,  are  filled  with  all  unrighteousness,  fornication, 
and  wickedness.  With  all  their  civilization,  still,  envy 
and  malice,  deceit  and  falsehood,  to  a  boundless  ex- 
tent— with  a  selfish,  ungenerous  prudence,  and  a  cold 
metaphysical  inhumanity — are  the  prevalent  charac- 
teristics of  the  people  of  China. 

'*  Their  well-known  backwardness  to  assist  persons 
in  imminent  danger  of  losing  their  lives  by  drowning, 
or  otherwise ;  the  cruel  treatment  of  domestic  slaves 
and  concubines  in  families ;  the  torture  both  of  men 
and  women  before  conviction  in  public  courts ;  and 
the  murder  of  female  infants,  connived  at,  contrary 
to  law ;  arc  the  proofs  I  offer  of  the  truth  of  the 
latter  part  of  my  accusation.  Their  principles  are 
defective,  and  hence  their  vicious  practice. 

"  The  philosophy  of  their  celebrated  ancient  sage, 
Confucius,  acknowledges  no  future  state  of  existence ; 
and,  concerning  the  duties  of  man  to  his  Maker,  pre- 
sents a  complete  blank.  It  presents  nothing  beyond 
the  grave,  to  the  fears  or  hopes  of  the  human  mind, 
but  the  praise  or  censure  of  posterity.  Present  expe- 
diency is  the  chief  motive  of  action.  Of  the  great 
and  glorious  God  who  is  infinitely  above,  and  distinct 
from,  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  the  teaching  of  Con- 
fucius makes  no  mention ;  it  rises  not  superior  to  an 
obscure  recognition  of  some  principle  of  order  in 
nature,  which,  when  violated,  induces  present  evil- 
There  is,  in  ancient  Chinese  philosophy,  something 
very  similar  to  the  unintelligible  numbers  of  Pytbf^oras, 
which  are  introduced  into  the  theory  of  the  universe. 
Heaven  and  earth,  it  is  said,  assumed  by  the  operation 

Vol.  II.  T 


274  MORAL   CONDTTION  [1824 

of  some  internal  principle,  their  present  order,  from 
a  previously-existing  chaotic  mass ;  and    a  supposed 
dual  or  two-fold  energy,  co-operated  in  the  formation 
of   creatures   and   of  gods ;  and  heaven  is    now  the 
highest  power  in  nature,  and  superior  to  the  gods. 
Even  this  clod  of  earth  on  which  we  tread,  is  the 
second  power  in  nature,  and  superior   to  the   gods. 
Heaven,  earth,  gods,  and  men,  is  the  order  in  which 
the  existences    recognized  by  the  Chinese  are   often 
placed  :  but  at  other  times  the  gods  are  excluded,  as 
their  existence  is,  by  some  of  the  philosophers,  consi- 
dered uncertain  ;  and  then  heaven^  earthj  and  man,  are 
the  three  great  and  co-equal  powers.     This  atheistical 
theory,    which  is   at    the    foundation  of  the  public 
belief,  and  influences   also   the   superstitions  of   the 
religionists  of  China,  induces  in  the  human  mind  great 
pride    and  impiety,   even  when  superstitious  obser- 
vances are  attended  to.     It  is  true,  that  in  some  of 
the  most  ancient  written  documents  in  China,  which 
Confucius  collected  and  edited,  there  is  a  more  dis- 
tinct recognition  of  the  supreme  Ood,  than  is  to  be 
found  in  any  thing  that  he  has  thought  as  his  own, 
or  that  the  learned  of  China,  in  subsequent  ages,  have 
advanced ;  for  I  believe  it  is  a  fact  that  man,  when 
left  to  himself,  sinks  into,  never  rises  from,  atheism  or 
idolatry ;  and  the  written  word  of  God  is  necessary 
to  bring  him  back.     Exclusive  of  the  system  of  Con- 
fucius, there  are  in  China  two  other  systems,  which 
make  much  more  use  of  the  gods  than  his,  and  which 
acknowledge  a  future  state  of  rewards  and  punish- 
ments. These  systems  enjoin  fastings,  and  prayers,  and 
penances,  and  masses  for  the  dead,  and  threaten  the 
wicked  with  varied  punishments,  in  different  hells,  in  a 
separate  state  ;  or  with  poverty,  or  disease,  or  a  brute 
nature,  when  they  shall  be  bom  again  into  this  world. 


1824.]  OF   THE   CHINESE.  275 

"  The  doctrines  of  Laou-'keun^  who  lived  at  the  same 
time  as  Confucius  (or  Kung-foo-tsze),  are  mixed  with 
notions  which  he  is  supposed  to  have  collected  in  the 
western  parts  of  the  world,  about  the  era  of  Pytha- 
goras. He  makes  the  incomprehensible  TaoUj  the 
eternal  Reason  or  LagoSy  the  supreme  principle :  and 
there  are  Europeans  who  suppose  that  when  he  says 
<  One  produced  a  Second,  Two  produced  a  Third,  and 
Three  produced  all  things ;'  he  refers  to  opinions  which 
he  had  heard  concerning  the  Triune  Ood  of  the  sacred 
Scriptures.  His  followers  represent  him  as  haying 
been  often  incarnate ;  as  a  teacher  of  mankind.  They 
inculcate  austerities  and  abstractions,  for  the  purpose 
of  attenuating  the  grosser  part  of  human  nature,  and 
gradually  rising  to  a  sublime,  spiritual,  and  divine 
state  ;  and  they  have  in  different  ages  devoted  them- 
selves much  to  the  visionary  pursuits  of  alchemy,  and 
an  attempt  to  exist  without  food  and  without  respira- 
tion, supposing  that  the  breath  could  circulate  round 
the  system  as  the  blood  does ;  and  so  respiration  would 
be  unnecessary,  and  man  immortal. 

"  These  people,  as  well  as  the  third  class  of  religion- 
ists in  China,  the  Fuh-too,  or  Budha  sect,  which  was, 
at  the  close  of  the  first  century,  brought  from  India  to 
China,  believe  the  transmigration  of  souls.  They 
both  of  them  have  priests  and  priestesses,  who  live  as 
the  monks  and  nuns  of  Europe,  and  who  are  licensed 
by  the  state;  but  none  of  them  receive  any  emolu- 
ments from  it.  The  sect  of  the  Learned,  who  profess 
to  be  followers  of  Confucius,  and  who  fill  the  offices 
of  government,  employs  no  priests.  Fathers,  and 
magistrates,  and  princes  worship,  and  do  sacrifice  in 
their  own  proper  persons,  to  the  household  gods,  t1i9 
district  gods,  the  spirits  of  rivers  and  of  hills,  and  the 
gods  of  the  fire,  and  the  winds,  and  the  rain,  and  the 

T  2 


276  ON  BENEVOLENT  REGABD  [1824. 

thunder,  and  the  earth,  and  the  heavens,  and  the  polar 
star.  They  worship,  too,  the  unage  of  Confucius,  who 
never  professed  to  be  more  than  a  man,  and  who  even 
declined  the  title  of  Sage,  and  who  never  taught  the 
separate  existence  of  the  human  soul ;  which  doctrine 
indeed  his  disciples  deny.  These  philosophists  often 
laugh  at  the  religionists  of  their  own  country,  but 
still  observe  the  rites  and  superstitions,  and  worship 
the  idols  of  the  other  sects,  as  well  as  their  own.  The 
governors  of  provinces,  and  local  magistrates,  often 
visit  the  Budh  temples,  and  fall  prostrate  before  the 
cross-legged  image  of  woolly-headed  Budha;  and 
subscribe  lai^ely  for  the  support  of  the  priests,  the 
repair  of  the  temples,  the  making  of  new  gods,  and 
the  cleaning  and  ornamenting  of  old  ones.  And  his 
Tartar  Majesty  of  China  frequently  confers  new  titles 
and  honours  on  the  gods  of  the  land.  Oh,  how  ab- 
surd! Man  creates  and  dignifies  the  gods  that  he 
worships !  Alas !  my  brethren,  how  long  shall  the 
millions  of  eastern  Asia  continue  to  inherit  lies,  vani- 
ties, and  things  wherein  there  is  no  profit  ?  When 
shall  they  come  from  the  ends  of  the  earth,  as  the 
prophet  speaks,  and  acknowledge  their  folly,  and 
abandon  their  idols  ?  " 

On  benevolent  regard  to  the  afiairs  of  others,  as 
inculcated  in   the   gospel,  he  remarks, — 

"  Universal  benevolence,  then,  is  a  scriptural  idea  ; 
and  to  cherish  such  a  sentiment  a  Christian  duty. 
And  how  wonderfully  comprehensive  is  the  pre- 
cept that  requires  this  duty — Be  ye  imitators  of  God 
and  of  the  Saviour!  The  natural  perfections  of  the 
Deity  are  indeed  inimitable ;  we  cannot  imitate  om- 
nipotence and  create  a  world  ;  nor  can  we  imitate  om- 
niscience, and,  therefore,  should  not  afiect  to  judge 
the  world:   but  we  are  commanded  to  imitate  the 


1824.]  TO  THE   AFFAIRS  OF   OTHERS.  277 

moral  perfections  of  God  Almighty,  Father,  Son,  and 
Spirit ; — ^to  be  just  as  God  is  just ;  to  be  holy  as  he  is 
holy ;  pure  as  he  is  pure  ;  merciful  as  he  is  merciful ; 
and  in  benignity  and  charity  to  resemble  him ;  to 
forgive  as  he  forgives  us ;  to  be  patient  as  he  is  patient 
to  us ;  and  every  one  of  us  to  look  on  the  aflairs  of 
others,  as  Chiist  Jesus  looked  upon  ours ; — with 
similar  mercy,  and  with  similar  exertions;  to  bear 
with  others ;  to  labour  for  others ;  to  suffer  depriva- 
tions and  insults  ;  and,  if  necessary— death  for  the  sake 
of  others. 

"  Be  ye  imitators  of  God,  and  like-minded  with 
Christ. — Oh,  what  a  rule  of  christian  ethics  is  this ! 
and  how  gloriously  peculiar  is  our  holy  religion  in 
this !  Neither  ancient  nor  modem  pagans  could  say 
to  the  people,  *  Be  ye  imitators  of  your  gods,'  without 
saying  with  the  same  breath,  ^  Be  ye  vicious,  or  im- 
pure, or  cruel ; '  nor  can  the  priests  of  Mahommed 
tell  the  Mussulmen  to  imitate  their  prophet  without 
implying  the  same  absurdity.  *  *  *  gut,  to  de- 
scend to  a  lower  standard  than  an  imitation  of  Jesus, 
how  few  of  the  spiritual  Christians,  to  accomplish 
their  object,  emulate  the  enterprise  of  the  secular  mer- 
chant ;  or  the  fortitude,  courage,  and  perseverance  of 
the  ambitious !  How  few  do  as  much  for  the  spiritual 
interests  of  men  as  the  celebrated  Howard  did  to  alle- 
viate the  temporal  sufferings  of  guilty  crhninals !  In 
yonder  eastern  regions  how  many  Britons  are  there 
who,  for  the  sake  of  temporal  support,  or  the  acquisi- 
tion of  a  fortune,  endure  an  exile  of  twenty  or  thirty 
years,  and  all  the  discomforts  of  a  foreign  land,  and  of 
insalubrious  ^  climates  ;  and  most  of  these  young  per- 
sons go  from  the  families  of  the  comparatively  opulent 
in  this  country.  The  love  of  self  enables  them  to  do 
all  this  :  but  how  disproportioned  are  those  whom  the 


278  A1VOLO-CHINE8E   COLLEGE.  [1824. 

love  of  Christ  their  Saviour  carries  forth,  and  keeps 
there.  No !  of  the  churches,  our  text  reversed  is  yet 
true — Every  man  looks  on  his  own  things,  and  few, 
or  comparatively  few,  regard  the  things  of  others.'* 

In  several  parts  of  the  United  Kingdom  a  very  con- 
siderable degree  of  interest  was  awakened  by  these 
public  addresses,  as  well  as  by  the  communications 
made  in  private  circles  respecting  the  social  condition 
of  a  people  of  whom,  till  then,  comparatively  little 
was  accurately  known.  The  result  of  this  interest 
was  evinced,  by  several  young  men  of  piety,  talent, 
and  learning,  devoting  themselves  to  the  service  of  the 
Redeemer,  both  in  China  and  other  pagan  lands. 
Some  of  them  still  continue  efficient  labourers  in  the 
Missionary  field,  while  others  were  early  called  to 
their  reward  before  they  had  borne  the  burden  and 
heat  of  the  day.  Besides  the  Association  at  Man- 
chester, in  aid  of  the  Anglo-Chinese  College,  which 
was  at  that  time  commenced,  the  formation  of  others 
for  the  same  object,  was  contemplated  in  Liverpool, 
Newcastle,  &c.  ;*  but  either  from  want  of  zeal  to  carry 
the  intention  into  eifect,  or  from  the  object  not  being 
sufficiently  appreciated,  the  design  was  subsequently 
relinquished,  though  several  private  subscriptions 
were,  for  a  time,  continued  in  aid  of  the  funds.  These 
have  also  entirely  ceased,  probably  from  an  opinion 
entertained  by  many  pious  people,  that  colleges,  or 
seminaries  of  learning,  were  not  directly  calculated 
to  promote  the  object  of  Missions :  experience  has, 
however,  happily  shown  the  reverse  of  this  to  be  the 
fact,  when  the  communication  of  Divine  truth  is  made 
the  primary  object  of  importance,  as  was  the  case,  and 
still  continues  to  be  so,  in  the  Anglo-Chinese  College ; 

*  In  Newcastle,  and  other  placet,  Ladies'  Working  Societies  were  formed, 
in  aid  of  the  College. 


1824.]  EXERCISES   OF   THE   STUDENTS.  279 

in  proof  of  which,  the  following  extract  from  a  state- 
ment of  the  general  proceedings  of  the  Chinese  Mission, 
so  early  as  1824,  may  be  the  means  of  removing  any 
prejudice  which  may  yet  exist  towards  that  Institution 
on  the  ground  referred  to.  The  Missionaries  observe, — 
"  The  instruction  of  the  rising  generation  being,  in 
our  estimation,  an  object  of  primary  importance  in 
every  country,  but  more  particularly  in  those  coun- 
tries where  the  gospel  is  not  known,  and  where  the 
people  are  prejudiced  in  favour  of  their  own  system j 
it  is,  therefore,  with  pleasure  we  state  that  our  pros- 
pects in  this  department  of  labour  are  encouraging* 
The  students  in  the  Anglo-Chinese  College  are  the 
first  that  claim  our  notice  in  this  respect — ^their  studies 
on  Sabbaths  are  wholly  confined  to  religion  :  the  first 
class  has,  during  the  past  year,  translated  from  Chinese 
into  English  a  Catechism,  containing  the  leading  doc- 
trines of  Divine  Revelation;  ten  Dialogues  on  the 
Christian  Religion ;  an  Essay  on  the  Principal  Reli- 
gions in  the  known  World  ;  a  Tract  on  Idolatry  ;  a 
history  of  the  First  Ages  of  the  World,  from  the  Crea- 
tion to  the  time  of  Abraham ;  and  twelve  Villfi^e 
Sermons.  Of  the  four  first  of  the  above,  they  have 
written  the  translations  in  English.  They  have  also 
made  a  translation  from  English  into  Chinese  of  the 
Rev.  T.  Brown's  (of  Haddington)  first  Catechism. 
They  read  the  Holy  Scriptures  every  day  in  their  own 
language,  and  have  written  sevend  essays  on  moral 
and  religious  subjects,  some  of  which  evince  consider- 
able knowledge  of  good  principles.  Although  we  dare 
not  say  that  any  of  these  young  men  have  been  truly 
converted  to  God,  yet  it  gives  us  pleasure  to  state  that 
several  of  them  pay  great  respect  to  the  truths  of  the 
gospel,  and  give  us  encouragement  to  go  forward  in 


280  COBRESPOIIDENCE.  [1824. 

the  strength  of  the  Lord.  The  other  classes  in  the 
College  also  read  the  Scriptures,  and  commit  to 
memory  Catechisms  on  the  great  principles  of  the 
christian  religion.  All  of  them  attend  morning  and 
evening  worship ;  and  on  the  Sabbath  evenings,  after 
worship,  we  have  a  prayer-meeting  with  the  students, 
when  each  one  of  themselves  prays  in  rotation.  May 
Ood  grant  his  blessing  on  these  means !  " 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Dr.  Morrison  proposed 
returning  to  China  early  in  the  year  1825;  conse- 
quently  the  time  to  which  he  limited  himself  for  ac- 
complishing various  plans,  in  connexion  with  the  ob- 
ject of  his  visit,  did  not  admit  of  his  gratifying  the 
wishes  of  his  friends  or  himself,  by  a  lengthened  stay 
at  any  one  place ;  hence  he  remarked,  that  for  several 
montlis  after  coming  to  England,  he  '^  lived  mostly  in 
stage-coaches  and  inns.''  His  letters,  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, necessarily  partake  of  the  hurried  cha- 
racter of  his  movements,  yet,  as  they  are  the  chief 
source  of  information  accessible,  respecting  this  pe- 
riod, a  few  selections  from  them  must  serve  to  connect 
the  narrative. 

At  the  end  of  May  he  writes  to  Dr.  Clunie, — "  I 
have  been,  and  am  still  much  hurried  by  too  many 
out-door  avocations,  but  the  Lord  is  gracious  and  mer- 
ciful in  continuing  me  in  tolerable  health.  On  the 
3l8t  of  this  month  I  think  of  quitting  London,  going 
to  Southampton,  and  from  there  to  France.  *  *  * 
Let  my  beloved  children  want  for  nothing  that  is 
really  for  their  comfort  and  improvement:  you  will 
not  only  have  my  thanks,  but  I  hope  a  prophet's 
reward,  for  your  care  of  the  children  of  a— -what  shall 
I  say  1 — not  of  a  prophet,  but,  in  one  sense,  an 
apostle."     •     *     *     * 


1824.1  VISIT  TO   PARIS.  281 

According  to  the  above  arrangement,  Dr.  Morrison 
proceeded  to  France,  being  furnished  with  letters  of 
introduction  from  Sir  George  Staunton  and  other 
friends,  to  persons  of  consideration  in  Paris ;  he  pro* 
ceeded  thither  immediately,  in  company  with  Lord 
and  Lady  William  Bentinck,  whom  he  met  with  in 
the  packet  to  Calais :  although  till  then  personally 
unknown  to  them,  they  no  sooner  learned  who  their 
fellow-passenger  was,  than  they  showed  him  every 
mark  of  polite  attention  that  a  stranger  could  require, 
taking  him  to  their  own  hotel,  and  procuring  him  the 
services  of  an  intelligent  person,  who  acted  as  guide 
and  interpreter,  during  his  stay  in  Paris.  With  Lady 
W.  Bentinck's  religious  sentiments,  Dr.  Morrison  ex- 
pressed himself  highly  gratified ;  and  her  deportment 
in  the  influential  station  which  she  filled  shortly  after, 
when  Lord  William  was  Governor-General  of  India, 
fully  justified  the  favourable  opinion  he  had  formed 
of  her  character.  Previously  to  quitting  London,  Dr. 
Morrison  had  the  gratification  of  receiving  the  follow- 
ing communication  from  Sir  Geo.  Staunton  respecting 
his  Chinese  books,  which  still  remained  in  the  Custom 
House. 

TO  THE  REV.  DR.  MORRISON. 

**  Devonshire  Street,  Monday  Morning. 

"  My  Dear  Sra, 
*^  I  have  seen  the  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer, 
Mr.  Wynn,  and  also  Mr.  Herries  of  the  Treasury, 
about  your  Library,  and  have  the  pleasure  to  inform 
you  that  the  matter  is  settled.  There  has  been  a  diffi- 
culty in  point  of  form,  but  no  want  of  disposition  to 
attend  to  your  wishes.  You  will  probably  receive  a 
note  on  the  subject  from  Mr.  Peel  in  the  course  of 


282  COBRESPONBENCE.  [1824. 

the  day  ;  and  Mr.  Henries  told  me  that  he  would  he 
happy  to  explain  every  thing  to  you,  if  you  would 
call  on  him  at  the  Treasury.  I  understand  Mr.  Peel 
was  very  warm  in  your  cause. 

"  Your's,  my  dear  Sir,  most  truly, 

Geo.  T.  Staunton.** 

"  House  of  Commons. 

"  I  have  the  pleasure  to  inform  you,  that  the  order 
for  the  delivery  of  your  hooks,  duty  free,  is  made  outy 
and  will  he  sent  down  to  the  Custom  House  to- 
marrowJ*^ 

It  was  not,  however,  until  his  return  from  France, 
that  Dr.  Morrison  was  put  in  possession  of  the  infor- 
mation, that  the  hooks  were  fully  liberated^  and  de- 
posited in  the  house  of  the  London  Missionary  So- 
ciety, who  liherally  appropriated  a  room  for  tlieir 
reception ;  and  granted  free  admission  to  all  persons 
requiring  access  to  them,  according  ti>  the  wishes  of 
the  owner. 

On  his  return  to  Southampton,  Dr.  Morrison  ad- 
dressed several  hrief  hut  characteristic  letters  to  friends 
descriptive  of  his  reception  hy  the  Parisian  literati^ 
of  which  one  or  two  may  he  interesting. 

TO  SIR  GEO.  T.  STAUNTON,  BART. 

"  My  Dear  Sir,        «  Southampton,-Jime  14,  1824. 

"  The  letter  you  kindly  gave  me  to  the  Baron 
Humholdt,  produced  the  most  polite  attention  from 
him,  and  an  introduction  to  the  National  Institute ; 
at  the  annual  meeting  of  which  I  was  present,  and 
received  much  gratification. 

"  The  Baron  came  also  to  Remusat's  the  evening  I 
dined  with  him,  and  in  company  with  Klaproth,  and 


1824.]  LETTBRS  TO   FRI£in>8.  283 

an^  English  lady,  who  was  invited,  made  up  a  very 
pleasant  party  to  talk  about  Chinese,  excepting  when 
the  Baron  ran  off  at  considerable  length  on  his  fa- 
Yourite  topic. 

"  At  the  Bible  Society  of  Paris,  I  had  the  satisfac- 
tion of  seeing  Baron  de  Stael,  and  Professor  Koefer, 
&c.  And  at  the  Asiatic  Society,  I  was  introduced  to 
de  Saci,  and  others  who  were  present  that  evening. 
My  stay  was  very  short  in  France,  but  I  fortunately 
was  enabled  to  do  much  in  a  little  time.  I  now  think 
of  proceeding  through  Wales  to  Liverpool,  Ireland,  and 
Scotland,  before  I  return  to  London,  in  which  case, 
I  shall  not  be  able  to  go  and  see  you  in  July  at  Leigh 
Park,  which  I  sincerely  regret ;  had  you  been  at 
home  now,  I  should  have  gone  to  your  country- 
seat.  Accept  of  my  grateful  acknowledgments  for 
your  continued  kindness  to  me,  and  believe  me  with 
sentiments  of  respect  and  esteem, 

"  Your's  very  sincerely, 

"  Robert  Morrison." 

To  his  brother,  from  the  same  place,  he  says  : — 

*  *  *  *  "At  Paris,  I  saw  all  the  ex- 
ternal sights  of  palaces,  gardens,  museums,  churches, 
cemeteries,  &c.,  &c.,  which  were  to  be  seen:  I  also 
had  the  pleasure  of  being  introduced  to  Baron  Hum- 
boldt— ^to  the  Institute  de  France,  at  whose  annual 
meeting  I  was  present.  And  the  same  day  I  was  in- 
troduced to  the  Asiatic  Society,  and  saw  the  Chinese 
Library  which  I  went  to  see ;  I  dined  with  the  Chinese 
Professor,  &c.  I  heard  the  Protestant  minister  preach 
in  French, — I  was  at  Mr.  Wilks'  place  of  worship, 
and  attended  service  in  his  own  house,  also  the  prayer- 
meeting  for  the  missions  on  the  Monday  evening,  &c., 

*  *  #         #         #         J  arrived  on  Saturday 


264  CORRESPOND  BMCB.  [1824. 

here,  and  preached  twice  yesterday :  one  discourse 
produced  a  spontaneous  contribution  for  the  Anglo- 
Chinese  College  of  about  twenty-three  pounds.  I 
pray  that  the  Divine  blessing  may  rest  on  that  In- 
stitution."       •         •         • 

Previously  to  his  departure  from  Southampton,  on  his 
way  to  Ireland,  Dr.  Morrison  wrote  to  Sir  G.  Staun- 
ton, s&  follows : — 

"  My  Dear  Sir,         "  Southampton,  June  18, 1824. 

"  Yesterday  I  had  the  pleasure  to  receive  a  letter 
from  you,  in  answer  to  my  note  of  the  14th  instant. 
I  now  have  the  satisfaction  to  inform  you  that  I  have 
at  length  obtained  my  Chinese  Library  and  curiosi* 
ties  from  the  baggage  warehouse,  free  of  all  duties 
land  charges,  and  also  free  of  freight. 

"  The  Court  of  Directors  has  behaved  most  liberally 
to  me  throughout,  in  reference  to  Chinese;  and  I 
trust  that  it  will  afford  satisfaction  to  you,  Sir  George, 
that  your  efforts  in  my  behalf,  not  only  in  China,  but 
in  England,  have  produced  the  desired  effect,  and  that 
I  am  not  altogether  insensible  of  your  kindness,  nor 
ungrateful  to  you. 

"  It  was  only  yesterday  that  I  received  the  wel- 
come tidings  of  the  actual  liberation  of  my  library. 
The  London  Missionary  Society  has  appropriated  a 
room  for  my  library ;  but  if  any  of  our  National  In- 
stitutions felt  an  interest  about  Chinese,  and  desired  to 
possess  this  library,  the  transfer  is  practicable  ;  but  at 
present,  I  see  no  probability  of  good  to  arise  from  my 
forcing  the  books  on  Institutions,  which  deem  them 
useless.  A  young  gentleman  has  accepted  the  office 
of  Librarian ;  and  will,  I  hope,  do  the  needful  in  facili- 
tating access  to  the  books,  whenever  it  is  desired. 


1824.]  VISIT   TO    IRELAND.  285 

I  do  not  know  that  I  shall  go  beyond  Dublin,  where 
a  gentleman  has  offered  me  a  temporary  home  ;  and 
Lord  Roden  has  requested  me  to  visit  him,  on  my 
way  to  the  North  of  Scotland,  whither  I  think  of 
going  to  visit  the  orphan  children  of  Dr.  Milne. 

"  I  shall  keep  in  mind  your  kind  invitation  to  your 
country-house;  and,  if  possible,  will  avail  myself  of  it. 

"  I  remain,  my  dear  Sir, 

"  Yours  very  truly, 

"  Sir  Geo.  T.  Staunton,  Bart.       «  R.  Morrison." 

On  his  way  to  Ireland,  Dr.  Morrison  made  short 
visits  to  friends  at  Bath,  Bristol,  and  Liverpool, — 
in  each  of  these  places,  he  preached  to  crowded  au- 
diences. By  the  various  religious  denominations  in 
Ireland,  he  was  received  with  the  liveliest  demonstra- 
tions  of  respect,  which  soon  ripened  into  a  lasting 
friendship  with  several  individuals,  who  took  a  deep 
interest  in  advancement  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  ; 
indeed  the  ardent  piety,  and  absence  of  all  party  or 
sectarian  spirit,  which  characterizes  the  evangelical 
circles  in  Ireland,  afforded  him  so  much  gratification, 
that  he  often  spoke  of  his  visit  to  that  country,  as  one 
of  the  most  interesting  circumstances  connected  with 
his  return  to  England.  The  following  extracts  from 
his  letters  will  afford  a  sort  of  journal  of  his  proceed- 
ings at  this  time.  The  first  is  addressed  to  Dr.  Clunie, 
from  Rosstrevor,  near  Newry,  dated  July  27th,  1824. 

•  *  *  «  In  Dublin  I  preached  twice,  and 
attended  four  public  meetings.  The  christian  friends 
received  me  with  great  kindness ;  and  several  of  the 
Episcopal  ministers  showed  me  particular  attention. 
I  mention  this  to  you,  as  you  take  an  interest  in  all 
that  concerns  me.     There  is,  amongst  several  persons 


286  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1824. 

of  rank  and  influence,  as  well  as  amongst  those  Avho 
have  neither  rank  nor  influence,  a  very  devout  and 
zealous  spirit ;  and  Ireland  is  not  so  destitute  of  reh'- 
gion  as  some  fear.         •         •         *         • 

*  *  "On  Friday  and  Saturday  last,  I  went  down 
into  the  county  of  Wicklow,  to  see  the  Devil's  Glen, 
and  the  vale  of  Ovoca,  which  places  are  considered 
the  best  specimens— or  amongst  the  best — of  Irish 
scenery.  Rosstrevor,  where  I  am  now  residing,  con- 
tains some  very  beautiful  residences. 

"  In  a  day  or  two  more,  I  purpose  going  to  Lord 
Roden's,  which  is  seventeen  miles  from  this  place; 
and  then  I  shall  proceed  to  the  coast,  for  the  purpose 
of  crossing  over  to  Port  Patrick." 

To  his  brother  he  writes  from  Paisley, 

«  My  Dear  Brother,  **  Aug.  7, 1824. 

"  I  arrived  at  this  place  to-day,  and  am  living  in 
the  house  of  Mr.  Carlisle,  Provost  of  the  town. 
After  leaving  Dublin,  I  proceeded  northward  to 
Newry  and  Rosstrevor,  where  I  remained  at  the  house 
of  Mrs.  Ross,  whose  husband,  a  general  in  the  army, 
was  killed  in  America.  On  quitting  Rosstrevor,  I 
went  onward  to  Lord  Roden's,  at  whose  mansion 
ofTuUymore  Park,  I  remained  two  days;  and  then 
advanced  to  Belfast,  where  I  preached  in  the  church 
of  Dr.  Hanna ;  as  I  had  done  in  other  places, 
Dublin,  &c. 

"  From  Belfast  I  went  to  the  Giant's  Causeway, 
and  the  Moravian  settlement  at  Grace  Hill :  and  on 
Friday  morning,  the  6th  instant,  I  left  Belfast  in  a 
steam-boat,  and  arrived,  about  half-past  ten  at  night, 
at  Greenock ;  from  thence  I  came  to  Paisley  to-day  in 
a  post-chaise. 


1824.]  VISIT   TO    SCOTLAND.  287 

"  My  general  health  has  been  as  usual :  yesterday 
I  had  a  very  severe  headache  and  sea-sickness.  I  have 
much  reason  to  be  grateful  to  God,  whose  gracious 
Providence  has  kept  me  from  evil ;  and  I  am  humbled 
by  the  kindness  of  many  christian  friends.  I  have  been 
long  in  writing  to  you,  but  I  have  often  thought  of  you. 

"  Pray  for  me — and  may  the  Lord  bless  you  and 
keep  you  from  evil.  I  begin  to  feel  melancholy  as 
the  time  of  my  departure  from  England  arrives.  I 
have  already  spent  four  of  my  eigld  months'  stay  in 
Europe.  My  purpose  is  to  hurry  on  to  Aberdeen, 
and  from  thence  to  London*  I  believe  by  the  western 
side  of  the  Island,  and  will  perhaps  call  at  Manchester 
or  Liverpool  on  my  way  to  London  ; — I  may  perhaps 
go  through  Wales.     *     *     * 

"  If  you  have  any  very  important  letters  to  send  to 
me,  address  them  to  me,  to  be  left  at  the  Post  Office, 
Aberdeen,  immediately,  on  receiving  this. 

"  Farewell !  The  Lord  preserve  and  bless  you,  for 
Jesus'  sake. 

"  Your  affectionate  brother, 

"  Robert  Morrison." 

Taking  Edinburgh,  Glasgow,  and  Perth,  in  his 
rout,  he  proceeded  to  Aberdeen,  for  the  purpose  of 
seeing  the  late  Br.  Milne's  children,  who  resided  there, 
and  in  whose  welfare  he  took  an  affectionate  interest ; 
always  enjoining  his  own  children  to  cherish  towards 
them  a  fraternal  regard.  Besides  attentions  from  other 
persons  of  celebrity  in  Scotland,  Dr.  Morrison  received 
a  polite  invitation  from  Sir  Walter  Scott,  but  was 
unable  to  accept  it,  being  obliged  to  hasten  to  London, 
on  an  affair  of  importance  to  the  Anglo- Chinese  Col- 
lege, which  is  explained  in  the  following  letter  to  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Clunie. 


288  RETURN   TO   LONDON,  [1824. 

*'  I^ndon,  Sept.  6th,  1824. 

•  *  »  <i  rj^Q  gentleman  (Lord  Kingsborough) 
whom  I  came  to  town  to  see,  has  changed  his  mind, 
as  to  the  fellowship  in  the  Anglo-Chinese  College  ; 
and  has,  instead,  made  his  donation  up  to  fifteen  liuri' 
dred pounds;  requiring  a  certain  Chinese  Grammar,* 
written  by  a  Jesuit,  to  be  printed  out  of  the  first  pro- 
ceeds of  interest ;  and  then,  the  accruing  interest  to 
be  applied  to  the  general  purposes  of  the  College.  He 
has  actually  given  the  money,  and  will  leave  town  to- 
morrow ;  so  that  I  may  consider  the  affair  terminated. 
I  dined  vnth  him  on  Saturday  evening,  and  he  goes 
to  see  my  Chinese  Library  to-day ;  he  has  also  given 
to  the  College  about  three  hundred  volumes  of  va- 
luable books. 

"  Yesterday  morning  I  preached  a  sermon  to  Dr. 
Waugh's  people ;  and  the  venerable  old  gentleman  told 
me,  that  his  understanding  and  heart  approved  of 
every  sentiment ;   and  that  if  I  would  leave  it  with 

him  when  I  went  away,  he  would  print  it." 

•  #  •  •  • 

The  different  religious  Bodies,  which  had  heretofore 
derived  the  benefit  of  Dr.  Morrison's  co-operation  in 
carrying  their  respective  objects  into  effect,  were  not 
backward  in  availing  themselves  of  the  opportunity, 
which  his  presence  afibrded,  to  obtain  such  suggestions 
and  information,  as  they  were  confident  his  knowledge 
and  experience  qualified  him  to  give,  respecting  the  ex- 
tension and  perpetuating  of  those  objects.  From  the  fol- 
lowing letters  to  the  London  Missionary  Society,  and 
others,  his  views  in  regard  to  these  subjects,  may  be 
ascertained  and  judged  of. 

•  See  a  notice  of  it,  by  Professor  Kidd,  at  the   end  of  the 
Volume. 


[1824.        SUGOEdTIONB   FOR  THE  L.  M.  SOCIBTT.  289 

TO  THE  CHINESE  COMMITTEE  OF  THE  LONDON   MISSIONARY 

SOCIETY. 

"  Gentlemen,  "  London,  Sept.  15th,  1824. 

"  I  beg  leave  to  submit  to  you  the  following  consi- 
derations : — 

"  China,  and  the  surrounding  countries  which  read 
its  language,  constituting  at  least  one-fourth  part  of 
the  human  familj,  for  whom  it  is  the  duty  of  the 
christian  church  to  care,  the  object  is  confessedly  great, 
and  the  London  Missionary  Society  has,  for  the  re- 
formed churches,  first  entered  the  field,  with  a  degree 
of  success  which,  though  not  great,  may  serve  to  in- 
vite onwards  to  greater  exertions,  if  a  sense  of  duty 
should  fail  to  impel  them. 

"  The  field  of  labour  being  the  greatest  that  our 
Society  has  entered  on,  the  efforts  should  be  propor- 
tionable ;  and  no  means,  sanctioned  by  Scripture  and 
christian  prudence,  left  untried. 

Ist. — "  I  have  suggested  to  the  Society,  school-mis- 
tresses and  school-masters  to  reside  at  Malacca  or 
Singapore. 

2nd. — "  Some  zealous  christian  laymen,  to  aid  in 
the  general  concerns  of  the  Mission. 

3rd. — "  And  I  now  beg  leave  to  suggest,  that  our 
Society,  or  an  association,  in  connexion  with  it, 
cause  one  or  two  persons  to  study  Chinese  in 
England,  in  order  to  co-operate  with  the  Missions 
abroad. 

"  There  is  throughout  the  land  a  complaint  of  ig- 
norance amongst  the  christians  concerning  China. 
This  arises,  not  from  a  want  of  information  in  Europe ; 
but  from  the  books  containing  that  information  being 
in  the  Chinese  language,  which  none  can  read ;   or 

Vol.  II.  u 


290  C0RRE9P0NDENCB.  [1824. 

contained  in  large  and  expensive  European  works,  in 
possession  of  but  few  persons ;  and  also  from  none  of 
the  zealous  christians  paying  any  great  attention  to 
Chinese  affairs. 

"  Did  our  christian  society  cause  the  language  and 
literature  of  China  to  be  studied  for  Missionary  pur- 
posesy  it  would  not  only  reflect  honour  on  our  Insti- 
tution, but  so  inform  and  stimulate  the  public  mind 
as  to  secure,  with  God's  blessing,  the  efficient  co-ope- 
ration of  the  christian  public  in  this  great  cause,  for 
generations  to  come.  About  two  hundred  pounds 
annually  would  support  two  students.  A  native 
teacher  if  sent  home,  his  passage  not  included,  and 
a  complete  collection  of  European  books  concerning 
Chinese,  at  the  commencement,  would  cost  a  small 
sum. 

"  Hoping  that  our  great  God  will  in  mercy  direct 
to  fit  means,  I  leave  these  suggestions  with  the 
Chinese  Committe  at  home,  whilst  I  return  to  China 
and  labour  there. 

"  I  am  your's  obediently, 

"  R.  Morrison." 

TO  JOSEPH  TARN,  ESQ.,  SECRETARY  TO  THE  BIBLE.  SOCIETY. 
"  Dear  Sm,  "  London,  Sept.  26th,  1824. 

"  Permit  me  to  send  to  you  an  extract  from  a  letter 
just  come  to  hand  from  Malacca,  mentioning  that 
parts  of  the  sacred  Scriptures  in  Chinese  had  been 
sent  in  considerable  numbers  to  Cochin-China.  Those 
that  were  taken  from  the  Anglo-Chinese  College,  in 
1823,  when  I  was  there,  and  which  are  referred  to 
in  the  letter,  were  also  taken  by  Government  vessels, 
which  happened  to  be  at  the  Straits  of  Malacca,  and 
which  intimates  that  there   is  not  in  Cochin-China 


1824.]  WfTH   RBUQIOUS   80CIETLB8.  291 

any  prohibition  of  the  Bible,  The  nations  in  which 
the  Chinese  language  is  understood,  contain  a  reading 
poptilationj  which  is  a  great  encouragement  to  a  liberal 
distribution  of  christian  books.  Scatter  abundantly 
the  good  seed.  He  that  soweth  sparingly,  shall  reap 
sparingly.  As  there  are  no  Protestant  Missionaries  in 
Cochin-China,  it  is  not  practicable  to  ascertain,  by 
actual  observation,  the  effects  produced  by  the  Scrip- 
tures on  individuals  or  families  ;  but  the  day  of  final 
retribution  will  reveal  it.  *  *  * 

"  Your's  obediently, 

"  R.  Morrison." 

P.  S. — "  There  are  in  Cochin-China  a  considerable 
number  of  professed  Roman  Catholic  christians,  who 
will  probably  receive  the  Scriptures  with  avidity 
when  carried  there. 

TO  JOS.  REYNER,  ESQ.,  TREASURER  OP  THE  TRACT  SOCIETY. 

"  My  Dear  Sir,  "  London,  Sept.  1824. 

"  I  beg  leave  to  submit  to  the  Tract  Society  an  ex- 
tract from  a  letter,  which  I  have  received  from  the 
Anglo-Chinese  College  at  Malacca,  from  which  Insti- 
tution Bibles  and  Tracts  are  issued,  in  the  Chinese  and 
other  languages. 

"  It  is  gratifying  to  a  pious  mind  to  be  able  to  send 
forth,  to  an  immense  reading  population,  the  treasures 
of  divine  Truth,  in  parts  of  the  world,  where  living 
teachers  of  Christianity  cannot  go. 

"  The  press  did  not  exist  in  the  Apostolic  age,  and 
therefore  their  employing  only  oral  teaching  and  epis- 
tolary writings,  can  be  no  argument  against  the  use 
of  it  in  the  present  age.  I  hope  the  Tract  Society 
will  be  encouraged  to  continue  their  past  exertions  in 
reference  to  the  ultra  Ganges  nations.     And  I  may 

u2 


292  DISTRIBUTION   OF   BIBLES^   &C.  [1824. 

be  allowed  to  mention,  in  connection  with  this  subject, 
my  desire  to  see  a  Book  Society  established,  to  en- 
courage by  premium,  or  otherwise,  the  translation  of 
christian  books,  or  the  composition  of  original  ones, 
in  all  languages — ^but  especially  in  the  Chinese. 

"  I  am,  my  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  obedient  servant, 

"  Robert  Morrison." 

To  those  who  are  in  any  way  interested  in  the  diffu- 
sion  of  divine  truth  in  those  benighted  regions,  the 
statement  above  referred  to,  will  not  be  read  with  in- 
difference. The  Missionaries  remark,  respecting  the 
"Distribution  of  the  Scriptures  and  Tracts" — 
This  is  a  means  which  we  consider  admirably  calcu- 
lated to  promote  the  diffusion  of  christian  knowledge, 
particularly  amongst  the  Chinese,  who  are  a  reading 
people.  This  being  our  opinion,  we  regularly  visit 
the  Chinese  settlements  around  Malacca,  and  distri- 
bute our  sheet  tracts,  portions  of  the  Scriptures,  and 
other  tracts.  Since  May,  1822,  there  have  been  distri- 
buted, either  in  Malacca,  or  on  board  of  vessels  in  the 
harbour,  or  sent  to  the  countries  and  islands  around 
us,  272  complete  copies  of  the  Bible  in  Chinese,  160 
single  books  of  the  Old  Testament,  972  Testaments, 
and  14,  LOO  Tracts,  including  a  considerable  number 
of  the  first  Homily  of  the  Ch  urch  of  England,  trans- 
lated by  Dr.  Morrison,  and  several  hundreds  of  a 
Magazine  published  by  the  Rev.  W.  H.  Medhurst,  of 
Batavia.  Besides  these,  there  have  been  distributed 
upwards  of  25,000  sheet  Tracts,  one  of  which  is 
printed  every  two  weeks.  A  very  considerable  num- 
ber of  the  above,  has  been  sent  to  Cochin- China, 
through  means  of  natives  of  that  country  who  lately 
visited  Malacca,  and  came  to  us  themselves,  earnestly 


1824.]  AT   MALACCA.  293 

begging  for  the  books.  When  they  first  arrived  in 
Malacca,  they  did  not  know  where  we  lived ;  but  they 
had  obtained  some  of  our  books  in  their  own  country, 
and  were  told  that  these  came  from  Malacca.  It 
would  have  afforded  pleasure  to  the  friends  of  Mis- 
sions, to  have  seen  these  interesting  heathens  walking 
through  the  streets  of  Malacca,  with  a  Tract,  or  por- 
tion of  the  Scriptures,  in  their  hand,  pointing  to  the 
book,  and  inquiring  of  those  they  met,  if  they  could 
inform  them  where  books  of  the  same  description  were 
to  be  obtained.  When  once  they  knew  where  we 
lived,  they  visited  us  every  day  while  they  remained 
in  Malacca.  One  of  them,  after  reading  a  portion  of 
the^'Scriptures,  exclaimed,  "  This  is  an  excellent  book ! 
he  that  knows  the  truths  contained  in  this  book  may 
be  called  a  man :  he  that  does  not  know  them  cannot 
be  called  a  man.'*  Several  hundred  Tracts,  and  some 
copies  of  the  New  Testament  have  also  been  sent  into 
China,  by  natives  who  were  returning  from  these  parts 
to  their  own  country.  Is  there  a  believer  in  Jesus  who 
will  not  follow  these  Bibles  and  Tracts,  with  his  sin- 
cere prayers,  that  God  may  accompany  them  with 
the  influence  of  his  Holy  Spirit.  There  have  also 
been  distributed,  during  the  past  year,  6  Malay  Bibles, 
343  Testaments,  300  of  the  Gospel  by  Mattliew,  and 
985  Tracts,  60  Portuguese  Testaments,  10  Dutch 
Bibles,  50  Testaments,  and  several  hundred  Tracts, 
also  300  Tamul  Tracts ;  and  a  considerable  number 
of  English  Tracts.  We  are  happy  to  add  that  the 
Chinese,  Malays,  and  Portuguese,  have  in  very  many 
instances  called  themselves,  and  begged  for  the  books. 
There  are  at  present  in  the  store  ready  for  distribution, 
270  copies  of  Genesis,  120  of  Deuteronomy,  333  of 
Proverbs,  60  of  the  Psalms,  180  of  Daniel,  160  of  the 
Minor   Prophets,   200    New  Testaments,   and  9465 


294  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1824. 

Tracts ;  but  we  have  no  complete  copies  of  the  Bible 
on  hand. 

These  statements  will  add  weight  to  the  following 
letter  from  Dr.  Morrison,  giving  his  reasons  for  de- 
siring attention  in  this  country  to  the  language  and 
literature  of  China,  addressed  to  the  Rev.  J.  Dealtry. 

"  My  Dear  Sir      "  ^^»  Bemers  Street,  Feb.  7,  1825. 

"  On  Tuesday  morning  last,  I  had  to  regret  that  in- 
disposition prevented  your  meeting  us  at  Mr.  Wares, 
for  the  purpose  of  conversing  on  the  introduction  of 
the  Chinese  language  into  one  or  both  of  the  Univer- 
sities. The  desirableness  of  such  a  measure  may 
be  made  apparent  to  three  different  departments  of 
the  community.  First,  the  knowledge  of  Chinese  lan- 
guage and  literature  required  by  the  christian  philan- 
thropist, for  the  communication  of  revealed  religion 
to  China,  Japan,  Corea,  Loochoo  Islands,  and  Cochin^ 
China,  which  countries  contain  a  population  equal  at 
least  to  one-fourth  of  mankind.  As  all  these  nations 
read  the  Chinese  language,  there  is  an  immense  read- 
ing population,  with,  I  believe,  scarcely  any  other 
than  Pagan  books  to  read.  I  believe  that  it  is  practi- 
cable to  acquire  the  Chinese  language  in  this  country 
sufficiently  well,  to  write  in  it  christian  Chinese  books, 
for  the  instruction  of  all  those  nations. 

^^  In  the  next  place,  as  the  British  possessions  in 
the  East  gradually  approach  the  Chinese  empire,  and 
the  territories  of  Cochin- Chin  a,  and  there  is  a  very  va- 
luable commercial  intercourse  with  China,  which  will 
probably  require  the  attention  of  Government  at  no 
distant  period ;  a  knowledge  of  the  Chinese  language 
seems  desirable  to  his  Majesty's  Government.     The 


1824.]  ON   THE  STUDY   OF   CHINESE,  &C.  295 

French  Government,  although  it  has  no  immediate 
connexion  with  China,  has  established  in  Paris,  a 
Royal  Professorship  of  Chinese.  Again,  to  the  lite- 
rary part  of  the  British  public,  the  knowledge  of  one 
of  the  most  ancient  languages  of  the  world,  in  which 
is  found  a  great  variety  of  ancient  and  modem  publi- 
cations, is  surely  a  desirable  acquisition.  The  phi- 
losophy of  language  is  incomplete  if  it  exclude  the 
Chinese. 

"  These,  my  dear  Sir,  are  the  thoughts  which  I  have 
to  suggest,  on  the  reasons  for  attending  to  Chinese  in 
this  country.  It  is  my  opinion,  that  more  attention, 
on  the  part  of  christians  generally,  to  the  literature 
of  Pagan  nations,  which  possess  any,  would  facilitate 
greatly  the  diifusion  of  christian  knowledge  amongst 
them.  I  shall  be  happy  to  furnish  any  further  expla- 
nations, either  by  personal  interview  or  otherwise,  that 
may  be  in  my  power.      "  Your's  sincerely, 

"  To  Rev.  J.  Dealtry.  "  Robert  Morrison." 

From  the  country  Dr.  Morrison  writes  about  this 
time :  "  I  have,  in  public  as  well  as  in  private  intercourse 
with  pious  people,  been  pleading  the  cause  of  China 
and  the  surrounding  countries,  and  I  hope  some  im- 
pression favourable  to  the  good  cause,  will  remain. 
The  war  with  the  Birmans  is  an  occurrence  that  ex- 
cites a  variety  of  hopes  and  fears  in  my  mind.  Oh, 
that  Divine  Providence  may  over-rule  all  for  the  fur- 
therance of  the  Gospel.** 

As  the  time  of  his  intended  departure  approached, 
Dr.  Morrison  began  to  turn  his  attention  to  subjects 
connected  with,  and  preparatory  to,  that  event.  Having 
left  his  Chinese  servant  in  London  to  make  out  a  cata- 
logue of  his  books,  which  he  proposed  laying  before  the 
public,  Avith  an  account  of  the  contents  of  each  work. 


296  MARRIAOE.  [1824. 

by  himself,  he  repaired  to  the  metropolis  for  that 
purpose,  about  the  middle  of  December ;  accompanied 
by  the  writer  of  this  narrative,  with  whom  he  had 
been  united  in  marriage  the  preceding  month.  His 
two  children,  who  had  been  placed  at  school  in  Lan- 
cashire, were  by  his  desire  sent  to  London. 

Being  settled  in  a  temporary  residence  with  his 
family.  Dr.  Morrison  found  himself  surrounded  by  an 
extensive  circle  of  friends,  all  eager  to  pay  him  those 
attentions  which  proved  that  his  social  intercourse  was 
not  less  valued,  than  his  public  character  was  respected ; 
and  by  none  was  his  society  more  assiduously  sought, 
than  by  those  who  had  most  frequent  opportunities  of 
enjoying  personal  intercourse  with  him ;  of  this  num- 
ber, were  several  persons,  as  distinguished  for  rank  and 
talent,  as  for  piety  and  high  intellectual  attainments  ; 
and  to  whose  honour  it  should  here  be  recorded,  that 
they  were  ever  ready  to  give  their  influence  and  sup- 
port to  any  plan  which  he  originated  for  the  diffusion 
of  christian  principles. 

The  disposal  of  his  Chinese  Library  was  a  subject  of 
consideration  with  Dr.  Morrison  at  this  time,  as  owing 
to  some  cause  which  cannot  now  be  satisfactorily  as- 
certained, he  was  obliged  to  relinquish  the  hope  of 
seeing  a  Chinese  Professorship  instituted  in  either  of 
the  Universities. 

The  accounts  from  Singapore  also,  were  such  as 
tended  to  confirm  his  apprehensions,  that  under  the  new 
administration.  Sir  Stamford  Raffles^  benevolent  plans 
did  not  meet  with  the  support  they  merited ;  although 
the  Earl  of  Amherst,  then  Governor-General  of  India, 
did  not  appear  individually  adverse  to  the  measures 
adopted,  as  the  following  letter  from  his  Lordship 
would  indicate. 


1825.]  C0BRE8F0NDENCE.  297 

TO  THE  RET.  DR.  MORRISON. 
"  Dear  Sir,  "  Calcutta,  22nd  January,  1824. 

"  I  received,  shortly  after  my  arrival  here,  your 
letter  of  the  24th  of  July,  and  I  return  you  my  best 
thanks  for  your  congratulations  on  my  appointment, 
and  for  the  good  wishes  which  you  form  for  the  success 
of  my  administration. 

"  The  measures  adopted  by  Sir  Stamford  Raffles 
with  respect  to  the  Singapore  Institution  have  come 
officially  before  the  Government.  I  acknowledge  that 
I  regard  with  partiality  an  undertaking  in  which  you 
take  an  interest.  The  Government  here  has  confirmed, 
as  far  as  it  thought  itself  authorized  to  do,  the  acts  of 
Sir  Stamford  Raffles.  What  appeared  to  be  beyond 
the  discreet  exercise  of  its  authority,  has  been  referred 
to  the  Court  of  Directors. 

^^  I  hear  that  the  difficulties*  which  you  anticipated 
with  the  local  authorities  at  Canton  have  been  tempo- 
rarily got  over  ;  but  I  do  not  feel  sanguine  that  they 
may  not  be  renewed  in  the  ensuing  season. 

"  My  son  desires  to  be  remembered  to  you.  He  is 
acting  under  the  capacities  of  my  military  secretary 
and  aid-de-camp. 

"  Believe  me  with  great  regard,  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  humble  servant, 

*^  Amherot.'' 

The  various  subjects  of  a  public  nature,  which  oc- 
cupied Dr.  Morrison's  thoughts  at  this  time,  may  be 
learned  from  the  following  brief  extracts  of  a  letter  to 
his  friend  Dr.  Clunie,  dated 

"  Bemen  Street,  January,  1825. 

*  *  *  Speaking  of  the  desirableness  of 

diffusing  christian  knowledge,  he  remarks  : — 

*  This  allusion  is  to  the  *'  Lintin  affair  **  which  was  revived  the 
next  year. 


298  ON   THE    EXTENSION   OF   CHRISTIANITY.         [1825. 

"  To  a  reading  population,  such  as  exists  in  the  five 
Chinese  nations,  christian  books  are  most  important. 
At  present,  hundreds  of  millions  of  our  fellow-creatures 
who  read,  have  nothing  scarcely  but  Pagan  books  to 
peruse : — may  God's  blessing  rest  on  the  Chinese  Col- 
lege and  the  press. 

"Sir  George  Staunton  has  given  us  two  hundred 
pounds  more  for  the  College,  and  is  Patron. 

"  I  have  determined  to  take  the  children  to  China, 
and  devote  them  to  the  Lord^s  service  among  the 
heathen.         •         *        •         * 

"  The  Secretaries  of  the  four  Missionary  Societies,* 
have  requested  me  to  write  on  establishing  a  society  to 
cultivate  all  the  living  languages  of  mankind.  We 
dine  with  Sir  Stamford  Raffles  this  evening,  and  shall 
have  some  conversation  concerning  the  Singapore  In- 
stitution.''        #         #         #         # 

The  request  alluded  to  in  the  preceding  letter,  was 
the  result  of  a  proposal  made  by  Dr.  Morrison,  re- 
specting a  project  which  he  had  long  considered  as  an 
essential  step  to  the  universal  diffusion  of  Christianity. 
The  following  paragraph,  extracted  from  his  notes  on 
the  subject,  will  afford  the  reader  an  idea  of  the  com- 
prehensiveness of  the  plan  in  his  own  words. 

"  So  long  since  as  1818,  it  occurred  to  Dr.  Morrison 
that  associated  effort  on  the  part  of  christians  to  pro- 
mote the  study  of  the  language  of  mankind  univer- 
saUtfj  was  a  desideratum.  In  his  view,  there  was  still 
vranting  in  this  great  metropolis,  a  society,  which 
should  be  a  centre  of  union  for  all  philologists  through- 
out the  world ;  duly  reserving  one  clause  in  the  pro- 
ject— ^viz.,  that  the  bearing  of  this  Universal  Philo- 

*  The  London,  the  Church,  the  Baptist,  and  the  Wesleyan  Mis- 
sionary Societies. 


1825.]       PROPOSAL   FOR   A    PHILOLOGICAL   SOCIETY.        299 

logical  Society,  should  be  undeviatingly  kept  to  the 
difiusion  of  christian  truth;  but  still ,  that  it  should 
not  deny  its  aid  to  any  of  the  useful  pursuits  of  man- 
kind, connected  with  the  present  life/^  These  sug* 
gestions  having  been  submitted  to  the  respective  Mis* 
sionary  Societies  for  consideration,  their  importance 
was  fully  admitted  by  all ;  and  the  Directors  of  the 
London  Missionary  Society  urgently  requested  Dr. 
Morrison  to  postpone  his  departure  for  another  year, 
in  order  to  carry  into  effect  the  plan  contemplated. 

Although  various  considerations  operated  to  render 
Dr.  Morrison  desirous  of  returning  to  the  sphere  of 
his  more  immediate  labours,  at  the  time  he  had  pro- 
posed, besides  the  pecuniary  loss  his  protracted  ab- 
sence from  official  duties  would  necessarily  incur, 
yet  they  were  not  suffered  to  interfere  with  the  claims 
of  a  higher  object,  which  the  sacrifice  was  likely  to 
promote ;  he  therefore  yielded  to  the  wishes  of  his 
friends ;  and  without  loss  of  time,  prepared  to  lay  before 
the  public  his  proposed  plan  for  a  more  extensive  dif- 
fusion of  Divine  truth,  by  means  of  a  society,  which 
should  promote  the  cultivation  of  all  the  languages  of 
mankind;  and  ^^ afford  to  those  benevolent  persons 
who  leave  their  native  country,  with  the  view  of 
imparting  to  the  heathen  the  knowledge  of  Chris- 
tianity, every  degree  of  assistance  before  they  quit 
their  native  shores/'  It  also  comprehended  the  col- 
lecting of  information  relative  to  the  customs  and  opi- 
nions of  Heathens  and  Mahomedans  throughout  the 
world,  the  formation  of  a  suitable  library,  and  the 
delivery  of  lectures  by  Missionaries  returned  from  fo- 
reign service,  who  could  describe  what  they  had  them- 
selves witnessed,  as  well  as  by  other  competent  in- 
structors ;  to  which  were  added  other  points  of  minor 
weight. 


300  FORMATIOI)    OF  THE  [1826. 

The  Rev.  Henry  Townley,  then  recently  returned 
from  his  Missionary  labours  in  India,   with  several 
other  friends  of  Dr.  Morrison,  entered  warmly  into 
these  views,  and  united  with  him  in  fonning  a  society 
to  be  designated  the  '^  Language  Institution,''  in  aid 
of  the   propagation  of  Christianity   throughout    the 
worid.  This  society  was  immediately  established,  under 
the  high  patronage  of  the  Earl  of  Roden,  Lord  Cal- 
thorpe.  Lord  Bexley,  the  Right  Hon.  Sir  G.  Rose,  M.P., 
Right  Hon.  Sir  Alex.  Johnstone,  Sir  R.  H.  Inglis, 
Bart.,  M.P.,Sir  Geo.  T.  Staunton,  Bart.,  M.P.,  Sir  T. 
S.  Raffles,  and  W.  Wilberforce,  Esq.,  who  held  the  ap- 
pointments  of  President,  Vice-Presidents,  &c. ;  besides 
a  Committee  of  twenty-four  laymen,  of  whom  one-half 
were  members  of  the  Established  Church,  and  the 
other    half  members  of  other    religious    denomina- 
tions— clergyman  and  ministers,  who  were  members 
of  the  Society,  being   entitled  to  attend  and  vote. 
The  society  held  its  first  meeting  in  the  City  of  London 
Tavern,  June  the  14th,  1825 — W.  Alers  Hankey,  Esq. 
in  the  chair :  but  afterward,  when  sufficient  funds  were 
raised,  a  suitable  house  was  taken  in  Bartlett's  Build- 
ings, Holborn,  where  the  business  of  the  society  was 
conducted,  according  to  the  regulations  which  were 
formed  for  its  goverment.     Missionaries,  and  Mission- 
ary students,  were  to  participate  in  its  advantages  gra- 
tuitously, and  irrespective  of  difference  of  opinion  on 
points  of  doctrine  or  discipline. 

With  his  accustomed  liberality.  Dr.  Morrison  granted 
the  society  the  use  of  his  Chinese  Library  and  Mu- 
seum ;  and  opened  the  Chinese  department  himself,  by 
giving  a  course  of  lectures  for  three  months ;  at  the 
close  of  which,  he  made  the  following  report,  which  is 
perhaps  the  best  record  of  the  proceedings  of  this 
Society. 


1825.]  LANGUAGE   ENSTITUTION.  301 

^^  I  have  finished  the  course  of  lectures  in  Chinese 
which  I  engaged  to  give  in  the  rooms  of  your  Institu- 
tion. There  have  been  on  the  whole  thirteen  students, 
seniors  and  juniors ;  four  of  these  are  devoted  to  the 
propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  the  Indian  Archipelago ; 
two  will  soon  sail  for  Malacca,  and  the  other  two  will 
remain  one  or  two  years  longer  in  England  ;  they  are 
competent  to  teach  the  principles  of  the  Chinese  lan- 
guage, and  to  initiate  those  who  may  desire  to  peruse 
the  Chinese  classics,  &c.,  &c." 

The  following  testimony  of  two  of  the  students, 
subsequently  transmitted  to  the  society,  might  have 
afforded  sufficient  encours^ement  to  its  friends  to  perse- 
vere in  an  object  so  well  adapted  to  secure  the  desired 
results.  They  are  extracted  from  the  minutes  of  the 
Society. 

"  Read  a  letter  from  the  Rev.  J.  Tomlin,  dated 
Singapore,  Sept.  21st,  1827,  (formerly  a  student  of  this 
Institution)  stating,  that  he  hopes  the  Institution  is 
kept  up  with  spirit,  and  that  many  are  participating 
in  its  benefits,  as  he  feels  persuaded  of  its  becoming 
an  important  auxiliary  to  Missions,  an  opinion  which 
his  own  experience  abundantly  confirms." 

"  Read  a  letter  from  Mr.  Tarn,  dated  Islington, 
March,  4th,  1828,  stating,  that  his  son-in-law,  the 
Rev.  Samuel  Dyer,  who  attended  the  Chinese  lec- 
tures at  this  Institution,  in  a  letter  from  Penang,  dated 
July  last,  mentions  that  Mrs.  Dyer*  and  himself  had 
found  the  advants^e  of  having  attended  to  the  study 
of  Chinese  while  in  this  country ;  that  in  six  or  seven 
weeks  after  their  arrival,  they  were  enabled  to  converse 
with  the  people,  and  Mr.  Dyer  preached  in  that  Ian- 
gu£^e  so  as  to  be  well  understood.     This  information 

*  One  of  a  class  of  ladies  who  studied  Chinese  with  Dr.  Morrison. 


302  REMOVAL  TO   HACKNEY.  [1825. 

Mr.  Tarn  conceives,  it  will  doubtless  give  the  Commit- 
tee much  pleasure  to  hear." 

In  the  Bengalee  language,  the  Rev.  H.  Townley 
gave  instruction  to  several  Missionary  students ;  and 
Mr.  Johnson,  of  the  East  India  Company's  College, 
at  Haileybury,  with  a  liberality  highly  honourable  to 
himself,  gave  occasional  instruction  to  four  students 
in  the  Sanscrit  language.  Dr.  Morrison  continued  his 
attendance  at  the  Institution  three  days  in  every  week, 
until  near  the  time  of  his  leaving  England.  This 
brief  sketch  of  the  proceedings  of  this  short-lived  so- 
ciety, may  serve  to  show  how  well  adapted  it  was  for 
effecting  the  object  contemplated  by  its  originator ; 
yet  scarcely  had  he  left  the  country,  ere  it  was  suf- 
fered to  languish,  and  its  final  dissolution  took  place 
in  little  more  than  three  years  from  its  formation. 

In  consequence  of  his  concluding  to  remain  a  year 
longer  in  England,  Dr.  Morrison  removed  with  his 
family  to  a  retired  residence  in  the  vills^e  of  Hackney, 
near  London ;  but  did  not  thereby  secure  to  himself  a 
greater  degree  of  leisure  for  study,  or  social  inter- 
course, than  he  had  previously  possessed ;  for  besides 
attending  three  times  a  week  at  the  Missionary  Rooms, 
in  Austin  Friars,  to  give  instruction  in  Chinese  to  a 
class  of  young  men  who  were  preparing  for  Missionary 
labour;  he  also  taught  a  class  of  ladies  at  his  own 
house,  on  the  other  three  days,  who  were  studying  the 
language,  for  the  purpose  ofengaginginthe  education 
of  Pagan  females  ; — this  was  an  object  which  Dr.  Mor- 
rison had  much  at  heart,  and  which  he  strenuously 
laboured  to  promote,  from  the  consideration,  that  the 
female  character  can  only  be  elevated  to  its  proper 
position  in  the  scale  of  moral  and  social  existence,  by 
the  communication  of  christian  principles ;  hence,  he 
urged  the  formation  of  a  society,  for  promoting  female 


1825.]  CHINE8E   MISCELLANY   COMPILED.  303 

education,  throughout  Pagan  and  Mahomedan  coun- 
tries, in  connexion  with  Missionary  labours ;  but  the 
proposal  at  the  time,  not  meeting  with  general  ac- 
ceptance, it  devolved  upon  one  or  two  individuals,  pofr* 
sessed  of  zeal  and  enterprize,  to  make  the  experiment, 
which  at  least  proved  that  much  might  be  effected  by 
associated  effort,  and  eventually  lead  to  the  formation 
of  a  society,  which  is  now  diffusing  the  light  of  Divine 
truth,  and  useful  knowledge  to  a  considerable  extent, 
in  Pagan  and  Mahomedan  lands. 

At  this  time  Dr.  Morrison  employed  the  short  in- 
tervals of  leisure  he  could  gain  from  various  public  en- 
gagements, in  circulating,  through  the  medium  of  tlie 
press,  valuable  information  concerning  the  language, 
religion,  and  philosophy  of  the  Chinese :  on  these 
subjects,  several  papers  appeared  in  the  Evangelical 
Magazine,  for  1825.  He  also  compiled  and  published 
a  philological  treatise,  entitled  ^^  The  Chinese  Mis- 
cellany;" conducted  a  varied  epistolary  correspon- 
dence ;  and  composed  sermons  on  special  occasions, 
which  were  afterwards  published  under  the  title  of  a 
"  Parting  Memorial."  It  may  seem  scarcely  credible 
to  many,  that  these  various  literary  occupations,  with 
the  exception  of  sermon  composition,  were  carried  on 
in  the  society  of  his  family,  undisturbed  by  the  amuse- 
ments of  his  children,  or  the  entrance  of  occasional 
visitors,  who  supposed,  from  his  abstracted  manner, 
and  the  rapidity  with  which  his  pen  moved  over  the 
paper,  that  he  was  wholly  unobservant  of  what  was 
going  forward,  until,  to  their  surprise,  he  would  ask  a 
question,  or  make  a  remark,  which  showed  the  degree 
of  interest  he  took  in  the  conversation. 

During  the  present  year  Dr.  Morrison  was  elected 
a  Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society,  without  any  application 
on  his  part.     In  reference  to  it,  he  remarks  to  a  friend. 


&- 


'^'  inir 


304  BLECTED   FELLOW   OF  TUB   R.    SOCIETY.        [1825. 

"  Your  last  kind  letter  came  to  hand,  congratulating 
me  on  honours  conferred ;  these,  my  Brother,  are  of 
little  value  in  this  life — ^how  much  less  at  the  hour  of 
death !' 


\n 


Ahout  this  time  Dr.  Morrison^s  puhlic  labours  were 
suspended  for  a  while,  in  consequence  of  an  attack  of 
illness,  which  was  supposed  to  arise  from  too  great 
mental  exertion,  which,  in  connexion  with  the  unusual 
heat  of  the  weather,  during  the  summer,  caused  great 
prostration  of  strength,  and  excited  serious  apprehen- 
sions on  his  account.  His  ^medical  friends  recom- 
mending relaxation  from  study,  and  change  of  air,  as 
necessary  to  the  restoration  of.  his  health,  he  was  in- 
duced to  accept  the  repeated  invitations  of  Sir  George 
Staunton,  to  spend  a  few  days  at  his  seat  in  Hamp- 
shire. This  excursion  proved  highly  beneficial  to  his 
health,  and  gratifying  to  his  feelings :  his  description 
of  the  localities  of  the  neighbourhoocl,  as  given  in  a 
private  letter,  will  afford  the  reader  a  respite  from 
public  details. 

The  day  after  his  arrival  he  writes : — 

"  Leigh  Park,  Wednesday  Morning,  Sept.  21,  1825. 

*  *  *         "  After  quitting  you  yesterday 

morning,  the  coach  passed  through  the  whole  of  London 
westward,  and  it  was  half-past  nine  before  we  got  on 
the  high  road.  There  were  inside  a  profane  Scotch 
colonel,  and  a  cockney  medical  doctor,  belonging  to 
a  regiment  in  Cornwall ;  a  sea-captain,  with  a  sextant 
on  his  knee  all  the  way,  and  your  hiunble  servant. 

"  We  passed  through  Guildford,  to  Petersfield,  where 
we  stopped  ten  minutes  to  dine,  it  being  four  o'clock. 
Six  miles  further  on,  at  a  place  called  Horndean,  I 
quitted  the  stage-coach,   and   took   a  post-chaise   to 


C  .      ••   r^,  , 


1825.]  VISIT  TO   SIR   G.    STAUNTON.  305 

Leigh  Park,  well  known  in  this  neighbourhood  as  the 
seat  of  Sir  George  Staunton.  Here  I  arrived  about 
half-past  six,  and  heard  the  dinner-bell  ring  as  I  ap- 
proached the  house. 

"  Sir  George  was  surprised  and  pleased  to  see  me, 
and  asked  immediately  if  you  were  with  me.  Mr. 
Manning  is  the  only  visitor.  Sir  George,  M.  and  I, 
kept  on  talking  till  eleven  o'clock.  #       #        # 

"  This  morning,  although  rather  damp,  I  walked  over 
Sir  George's  grounds  before  breakfast.  They  extend 
to  1200  acres.  I  passed  to  a  beautiful  temple  on  the 
top  of  a  rising  ground,  in  the  midst  of  a  clump  of 
firs,  where  he  has  placed  a  marble  urn,  in  memory  of 
his  father,  mother,  and  private  friends,  deceased  since 
1780.  Among  the  number  are  several  whom  we  knew 
in  China.  This  house  and  park  are  delightful.  I  am 
fully  repaid  for  the  fatigue  of  coming,  and  only  regret 
you  were  n^  able  to  accompany  me.         #     #      # 

"  Yesterd^,  after  closing  my  letter  to  you,  Sir 
George  took  Manning  and  myself  in  a  pony  phaeton  to 
the  sea-shore  at  Hayland  Beach,  across  a  bridge  newly 
constructed  over  an  arm  of  the  sea,  from  the  main 
land  at  Havant,  to  the  Island  called  Hayland.  It 
was  a  fine  day,  and  we  had  a  very  pleasant  rural  drive 
through  the  farms  of  the  island  to  the  beach.  This 
beach  is  the  property  of  the  Duke  of  Norfolk,  and  is 
being  made  use  of  as  a  watering-place  by  several  spe- 
culators, who  are  building  houses,  and  erecting  bathing- 
machines,  &c.  Sir  George  has  an  estate  on  the  shore, 
and  is  building  a  house  upon  it. 

"  The  Independent  church  at  Havant  heard  of  my 
being  here,  and  sent  a  request  for  me  to  preach  before 
I  left ;  but  I  declined.  Sir  George  has  a  gardener,  a 
member  of  Havant  church,  who  preaches  to  the  vil- 

VOL.II.  X 


306  CORRBSPONDENCE.  [1825. 

lagers.  We  visited  his,  and  many  of  the  cottages 
on  the  estate  this  morning. 

"  There  is  a  national  school  heing  formed,  where  it 
is  proposed  that  the  children  should  be  allowed  to  go 
with  their  parents  to  chapel  on  Sundays.  Last  even- 
ing we  argued  long  in  favour  of  liberal  conduct  in 
such  cases. 

"  Before  knowing  that  I  would  leave  on  Saturday, 
Sir  George  invited  a  party  of  Admirals,  &c.  for  that  day. 
He  has  kindly  pressed  me  to  give  him  at  least  one 
week,  but  I  have  begged  him  to  let  me  off  on  Saturday 
morning.     My  health  seems  to  improve,  but,  under 

present  circumstances,  I  am  anxious  to  return.'^ 

***** 

This  was  the  longest  interval  of  rest  from  public 
service  that  Dr.  Morrison  allowed  himself  to  indulge 
in,  during  the  two  years  of  his  sojourn  in  England  ; 
all  other  friendly  invitations,  which  would  interfere 
with  his  immediate  avocations  were  declined,  with 
the  exception  of  a  short  visit  to  the  late  Mr.  Wilber- 
force,  in  company  with  Sir  Stamford  Raffles ;  and  one 
to  Cambridge,  to  see  the  Rev.  Mr.  Simeon,  and  to  take 
part  in  a  public  meeting. 

Although  contrary  to  the  established  rules  of  the 
London  Missionary  Society,  with  regard  to  their  foreign 
agents,  the  Board  of  Directors  nominated  Dr.  Morrison 
a  member  of  that  body,  during  his  stay  in  England. 
On  the  communication  being  made  to  him  by  the 
Treasurer,  he  expressed  his  sense  of  honour  done  him, 
and  his  sentiments  on  the  subject,  in  the  following 
letter  addressed  to  that  Gentleman ; — 

"  My  Dear  Sir,     "  Grove  Hackney,  Sept.  14,  1825. 

"  I  have  been  favoured  by  a  note  from  you,  in  the 
capacity  of  chairman  to  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the 


1825.]        TO  W.  ALERS  HANKET,  ESQ.  307 

London  Missionary  Society,  informing  me  of  my 
haying  been  chosen  one  of  their  members.  I  beg  you 
to  return  my  thanks  to  the  Gentlemen  in  the  Direc- 
tion for  the  honour  designed  me ;  which  (although  I 
am  perfectly  satisfied  with  being  merely  a  Missionary, 
and  have  no  ambition  to  direct  the  affairs  of  others) 
I  do  not  decline ;  because  I  think  it  Scriptural,  that 
messengers  of  the  church  to  pagan  lands,  should, 
when  returned  from  their  duties,  and  unimpeached, 
have  a  right  to  be  heard  as  equals,  in  the  Missionary 
councils  of  christians  at  home  ;  and  I  hope  this  pro- 
ceeding will  lead  to  the  adoption  of  a  general  prin- 
ciple in  favour  of  Missionaries  being  eligible  to  the 
office  of  Directors;  I  think  the  good  resulting  to  the 
christian  cause,  would  be  great :  at  the  same  time  I  am 
compelled  to  say,  that  the  state  of  my  health,  and 
having  to  prepare  for  a  very  long,  and  perhaps  a 
last  voyage — ^my  being  much  engaged  in  teaching 
Chinese,  and  in  what  I  consider  appropriate  Mis- 
sionary duties,  will  not  probably  leave  it  in  my  power 
to  be  a  frequent  attendant  at  the  Board. 

"  I  remain,  with  respect  and  esteem, 
"  Dear  Sir,  your's  sincerely, 
"  W.  Alers  Hankey,  Esq.  "  R.  Morrison." 

The  principal  object  for  which  Dr.  Morrison  pro- 
longed his  stay  in  this  country  was  now  in  some  de- 
gree accomplished ;  an  Universal  Language  Institu- 
tion was  formed,  and  brought  into  operation ;  and  so  far 
as  there  was  opportunity  of  judging,  the  result  was 
likely  to  prove  successful ;  while  from  the  catholic 
principles  on  which  it  was  based,  and  the  patronage  it 
had  obtained,  there  was  every  reason  to  hope  for  its 
continuance.  Throughout  the  religious  community  in 
general,  there  seemed  more  interest  awakened  towards 

x2 


308  APATHY    TOWARDS    THE  [1825. 

that  portion  of  the  human  family,  which  hitherto  ap- 
peared to  lie  beyond  the  reach  of  their  sympathies ; 
probably  from  the  supposition,  that  the  exclusive  cha- 
racter of  the  Chinese  government  rendered  the  jjeople 
inaccessible  to  the  efforts  of  christian  Missionaries. 
But  this  error  was,  in  a  great  measure,  dispelled  by 
the  statements  recently  brought  before  them  ;  and  Dr. 
Morrison  was  led  to  hope  that  the  christian  churches 
would  at  length  recognise  their  obligations  to  extend 
their  benevolent  exertions  to  this  vast,  but  hitherto  ne- 
glected field  of  labour:  as  by  his  zeal  and  industry 
materials  had  been  prepared  for  its  cultivation,  and 
liberally  placed  within  the  reach  of  every  section  of 
the  christian  church ;  so  he  earnestly  wished  for,  and 
invited  the  co-operation  of  all  who  held  the  great  prin- 
ciples of  Christianity,  in  disseminating  them  as  widely 
as  possible — ^love  to  the  Saviour,  and  devotedness  to  his 
cause,  being,  in  Dr.  Morrison's  estimation,  more  satis- 
factory evidences  of  discipleship,  than  high  claims  to 
orthodoxy,  or  adherence  to  any  particular  mode  of 
church  government. 

Since  novelty,  as  well  as  utility,  characterized  the 
extended  field  of  literature,  which  Dr.  Morrison  had 
now  rendered  accessible  to  Europeans,  it  might  have 
been  supposed,  that  the  literary  portion  of  the  com- 
munity would  have  hailed  his  labours  with  approba- 
tion ;  and  that,  through  its  patronage,  combined  with 
the  exercise  of  christian  philanthropy,  the  Chinese 
language  would  have  been  deemed  worthy  of  perma- 
nent cultivation  in  England ;  not  only,  as  affording  the 
most  favourable  opportunity  of  investigating  the  ge- 
neral principles  of  symbolic  language,  (then  a  subject 
of  much  attention)  which  it  might  be  supposed,  would 
flhed  interesting  light  on  other  ancient,  and  probably 
kindred  tongues,  still  but  little  known  ;  but  also,  as 


1825.]  LITERATURE    OF    CHINA.  309 

the  medium  of  disseminating  among  the  nations  to 
whom  it  is  vernacular,  various  philosophic  and  scien- 
tific knowledge,  which,  in  subordination  to  the  autho- 
rity of  Divine  Truth,  might  have  operated  most  aus- 
piciously on  their  moral  interests.  However  the  his- 
tory of  the  Language  Institution,  and  the  comments 
made  by  writers  in  the  influential  periodicals  of  the 
day,  present  a  striking  contrast  to  such  pleasing  anti- 
cipations. It  has  been  stated,  that  the  efforts  made 
to  communicate  instruction,  in  Chinese  and  other 
languages,  were  after  a  short  time  discontinued,  from 
want  of  zeal  and  assistance ;  while  the  coldness  and 
indiffisrence  manifested  towards  the  object,  by  the  lite- 
rary community  generally,  seemed  to  evince  a  dispo- 
sition to  depreciate  labours,  however  distinguished,  if 
their  author's  purpose  in  effecting  them,  was  avowedly 
religious.  The  following  extract  from  a  provincial 
publication,  while  its  author  exhibits  a  laudable  ex- 
ception to  this  charge,  will  at  the  same  time  confirm 
and  illustrate  its  general  application. 

"  We  have  heard  it  well  remarked,  that  a  man  of 
talents  and  learning,  who  devotes  them  to  the  cause  of 
religion,  is,  in  the  present  day,  situated  something 
like  the  first  heathen  philosophers  who  embraced  the 
faith  of  the  despised  Nazarene — ^he  is  frowned  upon, 
and  contemned  by  his  brethren  of  the  schools.  If  the 
projects  and  performances  of  Dr.  Morrison  had  ori- 
ginated with  some  sapient  professor,  too  enlightened  to 
discern  the  inferiority  of  Confucius  to  Christ,  is  there 
a  man  upon  earth  who  does  not  believe  that,  long  ere 
now,  every  Review,  every  Magazine,  every  Newspa- 
per, would  have  sounded  his  praises  all  over  the  civi- 
lized world  ]       *       *       *       * 

"  Quickly  as  we  must  hasten  on  to  a  conclusion,  we 
cannot  refrain  from  looking  back  at  what  has  been 


,310  REMARKS    BY   AN  [1825. 

done.     Here  is  the  Chinese  language  acquired ;  here 
are  tracts  in  that  language  compiled ;  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures translated  into  it ;  a  Grammar  and  Dictionary  of 
it  composed,  filling  six  quarto  volumes ;  several  other 
works,  written,  or  translated,  in  that  most  difficult  of 
all  tongues;  the  great  scheme  of  a  College  formed 
and  brought  into  active  operation ;  and  all  this,  by 
the  labours  of  Dr.  Morrison,  and  a  colleague  acting  un- 
der his  directions !     Is  it  possible  not  to  feel  astonished 
at  such  achievements  of  individual  talent  and  indus- 
try 1     Why,  we  place  in  the  highest  rank  of  men 
of  letters,  we  describe  as  a  ^  Colossus  of  literature,^ 
the  great  English  Lexicographer,  Dr.  Johnson ;  and 
he  deserves  it  at  our  hands : — We  venerate  the  scholars 
who  accomplished  the  translation  of  the  Scriptures  into 
their,  and  our,  native  tongue ;  and  we  do  no  more  than 
what  is  just.     But  how  much  less  than  justice  shall 
we  do,  if,  professing  to  desire  the  extension  of  Chris- 
tianity, or  even  literature,  we  fail  to  regard  with  high 
reverence,  and  to  help  with  hearty  co-operation,  the 
man  who,  almost  without  assistance,  has  reduced  to  a 
system  for  foreigners,  and  enriched,  with  an  entire 
translation  of  the  Bible  for  natives,  the  language  of 
the  greatest  empire  in  the  world. 

"  While  the  stores  of  Persian,  and  Arabic,  and 
Hindoo  literature  have  been,  in  some  measure  opened 
to  the  nations  of  the  west,  we  have  known  scarcely 
any  thing  of  the  treasures  which  exist  in  the  language 
of  China.  For  centuries,  indeed,  European  merchants 
have  trafficked  with  the  Chinese,  and  a  few  Catholic 
Missionaries  had  resided  amongst  them ;  but  the  busi- 
ness of  the  former  was  to  acquire  gain,  not  to  increase 
knowledge ;  and  to  the  latter,  with  a  few  honourable 
exceptions,  it  had  been  a  life's  labour  to  attain  the 
power  of  making  themselves,  even  in  a  very  imperfect 


1825.]  ANONYMOUS    WRIT£K.  311 

degree,  understood  by  those  to  whom  they  were  sent. 
*  *  *  To  all  enterprise  and  investigation  in  China, 
there  exists  a  great  obstacle  in  the  jealous  character, 
and  exclusive  spirit,  of  its  regulations  respecting  fo- 
reigners. But  the  grand  obstacle  has  been  its  language. 
Difficult  as  are  the  languages  of  the  East  generally, 
they  are  easy  as  our  mother  tongue  compared  with  the 
Chinese,  which  has  scarcely  a  single  characteristic  in 
common  with  any  other  spoken  under  heaven.  It  is 
not  a  language  with  an  alphabet,  a  knowledge  of  which 
alphabet  makes  you  understand  perfectly  the  compo- 
nent parts  of  every  word,  and  leaves  you  nothing  to 
study  but  the  modes  of  combining  those  parts.  It  is 
a  languojge  of  characters  only  ;  characters  in  number, 
like  the  stars,  and  in  variety,  like  the  flowers  of  the 
field.  What  wonder,  therefore,  if,  of  the  people  who 
speak  this  language,  and  who  amount  to  a  third  of 
the  human  race,  the  most  enlightened  men  amongst  us 
know  almost  as  little  as  they  do  of  the  beings  that 
inhabit  the  moon  ? 

"  Now  this  is  an  ignorance  confessed  and  lamented. 
Might  we  not  suppose,  therefore,  that  the  man  who 
should  form  and  execute  plans  to  banish  this  igno- 
rance— might  we  not  account  it  certain  that  he  who 
should,  after  labours  the  most  stupendous,  succeed  in 
abating,  to  a  surmountable  size,  the  difficulties  in 
which  it  originates — would  be  hailed,  by  every  man  of 
letters,  with  the  highest  applause  and  distinction.  Yet 
such  a  man  there  is  ;  though,  through  few  of  its  great 
oracles  has  the  literary  world  heard  his  fame  published, 
or  even  his  name  uttered.  There  are  hundreds  of 
journals,  of  different  sorts,  all  established  and  con- 
ducted for  the  advancement  of  literature,  all  compas- 
sing sea  and  land  for  something  new ;  yet,  as  far  as 
our  observation  has  extended,  scarcely  one  of  them 


312  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1825. 

has  informed  the  worl  J  of  what  has  been  done  by  the 
efforts  of  Dr.  Morrison !" 

It  must  not,  however,  be  supposed  from  these  re- 
marks, that  any  other  feeling  than  that  of  regret  at 
the  impediments  thus  thrown  in  the  way  of  public  use- 
fulness, was  cherished  by  Dr.  Morrison — so  far  as  mere 
private  consideration  went,  he  had  every  gratification 
that  the  most  ardent  aspirant  for  fame  could  reason- 
ably desire  ;  not  only  in  possessing  the  friendship  of 
several  distinguished  literary  characters,  but  also  in 
having  attracted  the  attention  of  learned  and  scientific 
bodies  in  Europe  and  America,  who  gratuitously,  and 
unsolicited  on  his  part,  conferred  on  him  those  ho- 
norary distinctions  which  are  attached  to  his  name : 
and  that  he  possessed  the  undiminished  confidence  and 
esteem  of  the  various  benevolent  societies,  and  cele- 
brated individuals,  who  had  ample  means  of  judging 
of  the  value  of  his  past  labours,  the  following  se- 
lections from  numerous  letters  addressed  to  him, 
previously  to  his  departure  from  England,  bear  grati- 
fying testimony. 

*^  Mission  House,  Austin  Friars,  London,  April  24th,  1826. 

*^  Dear  and  Esteemed  Brother, 

"  Although  we  have  solemnly  committed  you  to 
the  care  and  favour  of  our  Heavenly  Father,  both  in 
a  public  religious  service,  and  at  an  ordinary  meeting 
of  our  Board,  we  cannot  allow  you  to  depart  from  us, 
without  putting  into  your  hands  a  more  durable  me- 
morial of  our  affectionate  christian  regard.  We  con- 
gratulate you,  our  Society,  and  the  churches  of  Christ, 
on  what  you  were  enabled,  by  the  grace  and  providence 
of  the  Head  of  the  christian  church  to  effect,  during 
your  former  residence  in  the  land  to  which  you  are 


[1825.  FROM  THE  LONDON  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY.  313 

again  on  the  eve  of  departing :  and  we  trust  that, 
sustained  and  directed  by  the  same  grace,  you  will  be 
enabled  to  carry  on  to  further  efficiency  the  labours  to 
which  you  have  devoted  your  life.  May  it  appear,  by 
the  future  dispensations  of  God,  in  the  administration 
of  his  kingdom  on  earth,  that  he  designed  for  you  the 
exalted  honour  of  being  one  of  the  earliest,  most  dis- 
tinguished, and  successful  messengers  of  the  genuine 
Gospel,  to  that  vast  portion  of  the  human  race.  In 
all  your  labours  be  assured  we  wish  and  pray  that  God 
may  make  you  prosperous,  and  crown  them  with  his 
own  efficacious  blessing. 

"  We  trust  that  you  will  by  no  means  have  to  re- 
gard the  two  years  just  spent  in  your  native  land,  as  a 
blank  in  your  life  of  service  to  the  cause  of  the  Re- 
deemer. You  have,  we  hope  and  believe,  been  instru- 
mental in  calling  the  minds  of  christians  in  it,  more 
forcibly,  to  the  religious  state  of  the  multitudinous 
population  of  China  and  its  surrounding  parts.  Your 
literary  and  other  labours,  in  reference  to  the  lan- 
guage therein  prevailing,  have  not  only  shown  that 
the  difficulties  of  acquiring  it,  for  religious  purposes, 
are  not  insuperable,  but  you  have  left  behind  you 
means  which  (if  preserved,  as  we  trust  they  will  be, 
especially  through  the  instrumentality  of  the  Lan- 
gus^e  Institution)  will  be  adequate  to  facilitate  the 
preparation  of  future  labourers  for  that  vast  field,  when 
Providence  shall  have  opened  the  door  to  it. 

"  Be  assured  that,  on  our  part,  we  feel  the  impor- 
tance of  that  portion  of  the  world,  as  a  sphere  for  the 
exertions  of  our  Society  in  propagating  the  Gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ,  too  strongly  to  admit  of  our  neglecting 
those  opportunities  of  promoting  that  work,  which 
Divine  Providence  may  afford  us,  according  to  the 
means  which  the  churches  shall  put  in  our  hands.    As 


314  CORRBSPONDENCE.  [1825. 

you  are  aware,  some  individuals  are  preparing  for 
uniting  in  the  labours  of  those  already  engaged  in 
the  work,  and  others  will  no  doubt  be  provided  as  need 
requires.  The  important  object  of  forming  a  fount  of 
metallic  Chinese  types  will,  we  doubt  not,  be  culti- 
vated by  the  individuals  who  have  taken  it  in  charge ; 
and  it  will  afford  the  Directors  pleasure  to  promote  it, 
by  contributing  towards  the  expense,  and  by  such  other 
means. as  shall  be  within  their  power.      *     *     * 

"  We  earnestly  pray,  for  the  protection  of  God  to 
be  afforded  to  you  and  your  family  on  the  voyage  ; — 
that  the  health  of  yourself,  Mrs.  Morrison,  and  chil- 
dren, may  be  fully  preserved ;  that  your  children  may 
be  blessed  of  Qod,  and  rise  up,  under  your  paternal 
care,  to  satisfy  the  best  wishes  and  hopes  of  your 
heart:  and  with  these  sentiments,  and  every  other 
proceeding  from  the  most  affectionate  and  pure  regard, 
we  subscribe  ourselves,  on  behalf  and  by  order  of  the 
Directors,     "  Dear  and  esteemed  Brother, 

"  Your's  most  affectionately, 

"  Wm.  Alebs  Hankey,  Treasurer. 

"  Geo.  Burder,  Secretary.'* 
"  To  the  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison,  &c.,  &c.,  &c. 

FROM  MR.  TARN. 
''  Bible  Society  Ho\ise»  Earl  Street,  March  2l8t,  1826. 

"  My  Dear  Sir, 

"  I  have  the  pleasure  to  inform  you  that  the  British 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society  have  voted  an  additional 
grant  of  1000/.  to  you  and  your  associates,  for  the 
purpose  of  printing  and  circulating  the  Scriptures  in 
the  Chinese  language. 

"The  Rev.  Mr.  Brandram  will  correspond  with 
Messrs.  Humphreys  and  Collie  upon  the  subject. 


1825.]  BRITISH    AND    BIBLE   SOCIETY.  315 

"  I  last  evening  received  your  letter  respecting  a 
grant  of  Hebrew  Bibles  and  Greek  Testaments,  which 
I  willy  with  pleasure,  submit  to  our  Committee  on 
Thursday  next,  if  you  will  favour  me  with  a  line  by 
return  of  post,  stating  what  number  of  each  you  desire, 
and  the  purpose  for  which  they  are  intended?  Also, 
whether  the  languages  of  which  you  request  a  single 
C5opy,  should  be  only  European,  or  embrace  Oriental 
ones  also  ? 

"  Waiting  your  answer,  I  remain, 
"  Your's  faithfully, 
"  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison.  "  Josh.  Tarn.^ 

At  Dr.  Morrison's  suggestion  the  Bible  Society 
adopted  the  following  measures,  which  he  was  autho- 
rised to  carry  into  effect. 

"  January  13,  1825. 

• "  First. — ^That  this  Society  employ  an  agent  to  visit 
the  numerous  Chinese  colonists  residing  under  Euro- 
pean governments,  for  the  purpose  of  circulating  the 
Holy  Scriptures  among  them,  either  by  sale  or  other- 
wise, for  which  purpose  it  would  be  necessary  that  he 
previously  learn  the  Chinese  language,  of  which  he 
might,  with  diligence,  acquire  a  competent  knowledge 
in  about  fifteen  months. 

"  Or,  Secondly. — ^That  the  Society  encoun^e  Mis- 
sionaries, or  other  persons  already  acquainted  with 
the  language,  to  make  such  occasional  tours  at  the 
charge  of  this  Society,  as  their  other  avocations  may 
allow,  for  the  above  purpose. 

But  Dr.  Morrison  more  especially  urged  the  adop- 
tion of  the  former  measure ;  as  the  field  for  the  operas 
tions  of  such  an  agent  is  free  from  obstruction,  and  of 


316  CORRESPONDENCE  [1825. 

such  vast  extent,  that  he  might  well  occupy  his  whole 
life  therein. 

"  Resolved,  Tliat  it  be  recommended  to  the  General 
Committee  to  authorize  the  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison  to  em- 
ploy such  persons  as  he  may  see  fit  in  occasional  jour- 
nies  for  the  distribution  of  the  Chinese  Scriptures,  at 
the  expense  of  this  Society." 

FROM  M.  REMUSAT. 
«  SlI^  "Paris,  Ist  Nov.  1825. 

"  I  have  received  with  much  pleasure  and  gratitude 
your  new  work,  as  also  the  letter  you  did  me  the 
honour  to  send  with  it :  accept  for  both  my  sincere 
acknowledgements.  Be  assured  the  literary  world  at 
large,  as  well  as  your  countrymen,  ought  to  feel  in- 
debted to  you  for  the  numerous  services  you  have  ren- 
dered to  Chinese  literature.  If  I  can  glory  on  any 
one  account  it  is  on  this,  that  I  was  amongst  the  first 
in  our  country  who  publicly  rendered  justice  to  your 
great  and  important  labours. 

"  I  learn,  with  some  degree  of  pain,  your  intention 
to  absent  yourself  again  from  Europe.  It  seems  to 
me  that  your  presence  in  England  would  be  attended 
with  greater  benefit  to  the  cause  of  literature.  *  *  * 
I  hope  you  are  not  yet  about  to  depart ;  I  wish  before 
you  return  to  our  common  friends,  you  could  once  more 
cross  the  channel  and  visit  those  whom  you  have  on 
this  side  of  the  ocean.  I  should  have  much  pleasure 
in  indemnifying  myself  for  the  disagreeable*  day  you 
spent  with  me.  All  the  interviews  I  could  have  with 
you  would  at  all  times  prove  highly  honourable  and 
precious.  Be  pleased  to  accept  of  the  assurance  of 
this,  and  at  the  same  time  confide  in  the  expression  of 

*  Dr.  M.  having  had  one  of  his  acute  head-aches. 


1825.]    RESPECTING  premare's  qrammar.        317 

the  sentiments  of  high  esteem  and  distinguished  regard 
with  which  I  remain,  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  very  humble  and  very  obedient  servant, 

"  J.  C.  Abel  Remusat, 

^'  Sec.  of  the  Society,  and  Member  of  the  Royal 

Institution  of  France.' 

"  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison,  &c.  &c.  &c.' 


:  rauce, " 


FROM  LORD  KINGSB0R0U6H. 

11,  Duke  Street,  St.  James's,  8th  Mar.  1825. 

"  Lord  Kingsborough  presents  his  compliments  to 
Dr.  Morrison,  he  is  much  obliged  to  him  for  his  note 
of  yesterday,  in  which  he  informs  him,  that  he  has 
been  persuaded  by  a  society  to  postpone  his  return  to 
China  for  a  year :  this  alteration  of  his  intentions 
so  speedily  to  leave  England,  Lord  Kingsborough  is 
glad  to  learn,  as  he  is  convinced  it  will  be  highly 
beneficial  to  the  interests  of  Eastern  literature  in  this 
country,  that  Dr.  Morrison  should  remain  longer  in 
it,  and  give  a  course  of  lectures  on  a  part  of  learning 
in  which  he  is  so  skilled,  and  which  others  are  so  in- 
competent to  teach.  He  regrets  that  Dr.  Morrison  is 
not  so  sufficiently  well  provided  with  books  treating 
on  subjects  connected  with  his  intended  lectures  as 
might  have  been  desirable :  it  will  be  a  pleasure  to 
him  to  offer  for  Dr.  Morrison's  acceptance  a  work  in 
his  possession,  (a  copy  of  which  he  before  gave  to  the 
Chinese  College)  which  amply  discusses  the  most 
curious  subjects  connected  with  China,  and  is  the 
production  of  men  who  had  spent  their  entire  lives 
in  that  country,  and  is  a  work  Dr.  Morrison  would 
find  great  difficulty  in  procuring  either  in  England 
or  on  the  continent;  he  will  be  so  good  as  to  let 
him  know  when  he  shall  cause  this  work  to  be  sent  to 
him ;  he  has  also  some  other  books,  which  he  wished, 
as  his  last  tribute  to  so  useful  an  institution,  to  offer  to 


318  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1825. 

the  Chinese  College.  The  Notitia  Sinica,  by  Father 
Premare,  the  MS.  of  which  exists  in  the  Royal  Li- 
brary of  France,  is  now  transcribing ;  he  hopes  that  no 
accident  will  befal  this  copy  before  it  reaches  its  des- 
tination, as  it  has  cost  him  sixty  guineas  to  have  it 
copied  out.  M.  Abel  Remusat  was  the  person  who 
found,  among  his  Chinese  pupils,  a  person  qualified 
for  that  task.  This  MS.  consists  of  250  leaves,  or  500 
pages :  it  is  written  in  Latin,  is  divided  into  two 
parts ;  the  first  of  which  lays  down  rules  for  the  com- 
position of  Chinese  in  the  ancient  classical  style ;  the 
second,  for  the  composition  of  the  modern  style.  The 
justness  of  the  rules  are  verified  by  innumerable  ex- 
amples taken  from  the  most  approved  writers,  ancient 
and  modem ;  hence  the  book  abounds  with  Chinese 
characters.  M.  Abel  Remusat  has  composed  an  index 
for  the  whole :  the  labour  of  making  that  index  required 
a  length  of  time,  and  as  it  will  be  a  great  advantage 
and  addition  to  the  work.  Lord  Kingsboroi^h  promised 
that  it  should  be  duly  acknowledged  in  the  pages  of 
the  work,  &c.,  &c.  He  ought  now  to  apologize  to 
Dt.  Morrison  for  writing  at  such  a  length  to  him ;  he 
has  however  dispatched  the  subjects  of  two  or  three 
notes  in  one: — when  completed  (in  a  few  months) 
the  copy  of  Premare's  work  will  be  sent  to  Dr.  Mor- 
rison ;  and  he  thinks  the  Chinese  College,  by  the  pub- 
lication of  a  work  of  this  learned  Jesuit — confessedly 
the  most  profoundly  versed  in  the  genius  of  the  Chi- 
nese language  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Missionaries  who 
visited  China — ^will  be  doing  a  thing  useful  to  the 
friends  of  science,  and  creditable  to  themselves.'' 
"  To  the  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison,  &c.,  &c.,  &c. 

FROM  THE  BISHOP  OF  LLANDAFF. 

"My  Dear  Sra,    "Carlton  House,  April  27th,  1826. 

"  I  write  in  hopes  that  this  letter  may  reach  you 


1825.]        FROM  THB  RET.  A.  CLARKE.  319 

before  you  take  your  final  departure  from  England, 
because  I  should  be  much  pained  not  to  have  an  op- 
portunity of  returning  you  my  warmest  thanks  for 
your  truly  christian  congratulations  on  my  late  ap- 
pointment. I  accept  with  much  thankfulness  the  good 
wishes  of  those  whom  I  esteem  ;  but  I  also  beg  most 
earnestly  to  bespeak  a  place  in  their  prayers,  that  I 
may  not  be  raised  for  a  short  space  in  this  life,  only 
to  mere  worldly  honours,  but  that  I  may  be  made  an 
humble  instrument  in  the  hands  of  Him  who  can 
strengthen  the  weakest  for  the  performance  of  his  own 
purposes. 

"  I  hope  I  do  not  deceive  myself  in  expecting  that 
I  shall  be  sometimes  remembered  in  your  prayers  in 
this  spirit ;  and  in  return,  I  can  assure  you  with  great 
truth,^that  I  shall  not  fail  to  watch,  with  much  interest 
and  hope,  the  progress  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Gospel 
among  that  people  to  whom  you  are  again  about  to 
dedicate,  under  God's  blessing,  your  strength,  and 
time,  and  talents. 

"  That  you,  and  yours,  may  be  prospered  in  your 
undertaking,  is  the  sincere  prayer  of,  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  obedient  and  faithful  servant, 
"  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison.  "  Charles  R.  Sumner.^ 

FROM  the  rev.  dr.  ADAM  CLARKE. 

''  Eastcott,  Middlesex,  March  19, 1826. 

"Rev.  and  Dear  Sir, 

"  I  am  sorry  that  I  have  not  had  the  privilege  of 
seeing  you  before  your  departure :  but  I  have  been 
confined  to  the  house  ever  since  the  morning  of  New- 
year's  day,  when  I  caught  a  cold,  which  brought  an 
inflammation  into  my  face  and  eyes,  from  which  I 
am  but  slowly  recovering. 

"  All  the  Commentary  is  printed  ofi^;  and  as  far  as 


320  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1825. 

the  letter  R,  of  the  General  Index ;  and  I  should  not 
wonder,  if  the  remaining  sheets  should  be  ready  by 
the  time  you  propose,  God  willing,  to  sail.  At  any 
rate,  you  shall  have  all  the  sheets  that  may  be  ready 
at  that  time ;  and  should  there  be  any  behind,  I  will 
order  duplicates  to  be  sent  to  you  by  separate  conveyanceSj 
that  you  may  have  the  whole  complete.  One  thing 
you  must  indulge  me  in,  else  you  will  put  me  to  pain. 
For  some  time,  I  have  purposed  to  beg  your  acceptance 
of  a  copy  of  this  work,  for  your  own  library.  I  am 
sorry  it  is  not  a  large  paper  copy,  but  there  is  not  one 
of  them  left — ^they  have  been  long  out  of  print.  I 
present  this,  out  of  high  respect  for  your  labours,  and 
affection  to  your  person.  I  have  ordered  it  in  good 
boardsj  for  it  could  not  (a  few  parts  excepted)  be  bound 
without  being  spoiled ;  as  the  ink  of  the  latter  parts, 
not  being  suflSciently  dry^  would  set-off.  Your  prayer 
for  me,  at  the  conclusion  of  your  note,  is  worth  a 
thousand  copies  of  my  work.  I  return  you  mine,  in 
your  own  words :  "  May  the  power  of  Christ  rest  upon 
your  person,  your  family,  and  your  abundant  labours !" 
You  had  two  lovely  children — I  think  the  finest  I  ever 
saw — I  have  carried  them  on  my  knees ;  kissed  them 
often,  and  have  borne  them  in  my  arms.  It  is  many 
years  since  I  saw  them,  and  they  can  have  no  remem- 
brance of  me :  please  to  tell  them,  however,  that  they 
have  an  old  man's  blessing  and  his  heartiest  prayers. 

"  When  you  sail,  may  His  presence  go  with  you, 
and  give  you  rest.     Amen. 

"  I  am.  Reverend  Sir,  your's  affectionately, 
"  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison,  &c.  "  Adam  Clarke.'' 

FROM  THE  rev.  C.  R.  PRITCHETT. 
"  Prayer  Book  and  Homily  Society,  March  29, 1826. 

"My  Dear  Sir, 
"  Be  pleased  to  accept  the  very  affectionate  thanks 


1825.]  RBUGIOUS  TRACT  SOCIETT.  321 

of  our  Committee,  for  the  kind  present  of  books  which 
you  have  sent  us.  We  have  felt  great  pleasure  in 
times  past  in  receiving  communications  from  you,  in 
lending  you  the  little  help  which  lay  in  our  power, 
and  in  numbering  you  among  our  coadjutors.  We 
were  gratified  by  seeing  you  in  this  country,  and  by 
the  assistance  which  you  kindly  contributed  at  two 
anniversaries.  We  still  hope  to  be  your  correspon- 
dents, and  to  enlarge  our  Chinese  publications  by 
printing  such  of  the  Collects,  and  other  portions  of  our 
Liturgy,  as  you  shall  find  time  to  translate.  May  the 
blessing  of  God  our  Saviour  go  with  you  on  your  way, 
and  abide  with  you  when  you  shall  have  reached  that 
distant  land. 

"  Believe  me,  my  dear  Sr,  your's  very  sincerely, 

"  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison.  "  C.  R.  PRrrcHEiT. 

"  Secretary." 

At  a  Meeting  of  the  Committee  of  the  Religious 
Tract  Society,  on  the  18th  of  April,  1826, 
Thomas  Pellatt,  Esq.  in  the  Chair, 
It  was  resolved  unanimously, — 

"  That  this  Committee  cannot  permit  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Morrison  to  leave  this  country  without  presenting  to 
him  their  cordial  thanks  for  his  past  e£Slcient  and  dis- 
interested services  to  the  Institution,  in  connection 
with  the  Missionaries  at  Malacca,  in  the  publication 
of  Chinese  Tracts.  They  beg  to  remind  him,  that 
the  sum  of  three  hundred  pounds  remains  to  the 
credit  of  the  Missionaries,  from  which  they  can  from 
time  to  time  draw;  and  that  thb  Committee  will  at  all 
times  feel  the  greatest  pleasure  in  co-operating  with 
them  in  advancing  the  cause  of  the  Redeemer,  through 
the  medium  of  the  christian  Chinese  press.  The 
Committee  will  feel  obliged  by  the  Missionaries  regu- 

VOL.  II.  V 


322  C0BBB8P0NDBNCE.  [1625. 

larly  forwarding  to  them  copies  of  all  new  publica- 
lionsy  and  also  reports  of  their  circulation ;  it  being 
highly  important  for  the  interest  of  this  Society,  to 
be  able  to  state  to  the  public  the  extent  of  its  efforts  in 
foreign  lands.  And  this  Committee  desire  to  assure 
Dr.  Morrison,  that  they  feel  deeply  intc^rested  in  the 
success  of  all  his  future  labours,  and  most  fervently 
implore  the  Divine  protection  on  him  and  his  family 
during  their  voyage,  and  the  constant  bestowment  on 
them  of  all  temporal,  spiritual,  and  eternal  blessings. 

/^Q*      ^  I      "  Thomas  Pellatt,  Chairman. 
C^igneaj      ,,  y^^  ^^^^^  Assistanl^Secretary.'' 

"  Language  Institution,  London,  April  4,  1826. 

"  Dear  Sm, 

We  are  directed  by  the  Committee  of  the  Language 
Institution  to  transmit  to  you  the  accompanying  Re- 
solutions, founded  upon  the  contents  of  your  letter  of 
the  28th  of  February. 

"  The  Committee  must  ever  regard  you,  dear  Sir,  as 
one  of  the  principal  instruments,  under  Divine  Provi- 
dence, in  the  formation  of  their  rising  Institution ;  and 
after  it  had  been  formed,  your  exertions  were  among 
the  first  and  most  efficient  to  carry  its  design  into 
effect.  Your  labours  here  being  now  completed,  you  are 
departing  from  us  for  a  season ;  but  not  before  you  have 
prepared  two  youthful  successors,  to  carry  on  the  work 
that  you  have  so  nobly  begun.  The  subjoined  Reso- 
lutions will  show,  we  trust,  that  the  various  intimations 
suggested  in  your  letter  have  not  been  disregarded, 
and  will  not  be  forgotten.  We  are  resolved,  God 
helping  us,  to  carry  them,  as  far  as  may  be,  into  effect. 

And  now,  dear  Sir,  we  commend  you  to  the  Divine 
keeping,  in  your  long  and  perilous  voyage  across  the 
mighty  deep ;  and  in  the  prosecution  of  your  labours 


1825.]  LANGUAGE  INSnTDTION.  323 

after  your  arrival  at  so  distant  a  destination.  And  if 
any  account  of  our  proceedings  should  afford  you 
a  measure  of  encouragement  and  consolation,  as  you 
seem  to  anticipate,  be  assured  that  we  shall  es- 
teem it  an  honour  and  a  privilege  to  be  partakers  in 
your  joy.  "  We  are,  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  very  sincere  friends  and  fellow-labourers, 

« T.  P.  Plate,     \  ca       ^    • 
"  Wm.  Walfohd,  )  Secretanes. 

^  The  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison. 

"  Resolved, — ^That  the  cordial  thanks  of  this  Com- 
mittee be  presented  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison  for  the 
important  assistance  which  he  has  rendered  in  promo- 
ting the  objects  of  this  Institution.  ♦  ♦         ♦ 

3rdly. — "  That  the  Committee  fully  enter  into  the 
importance  of  Dr.  Morrison's  suggestion,  for  taking 
measures  to  perpetuate  the  study  of  the  Chinese  lan- 
guage in  this  country ;  and  will  gladly  avail  them- 
selves of  every  opportunity  which  may  be  presented  of 
giving  it  effect.** 

FROM  THE  REV.  W.  A.  HALLOCK. 

**New  York,  May  27,  1826. 

"  Respected  and  Dear  Sir, 

"  Herewith  I  forward  you  a  copy  of  the  Tracts 
which  have  been  issued  by  the  National  Tract  So- 
ciety established  in  this  city,  one  year  since,  which  we 
beg  you  to  accept  as  a  token  of  our  unfeigned  chris- 
tian regard,  and  the  high  sense  we  entertain  of  the 
very  important  service  which  you  have  rendered  to 
the  cause  of  Tracts.  What  you  have  publicly  ut- 
tered on  this  subject  in  England,  has  been  borne,  as 
on  the  wings  of  the  wind,  in  every  direction,  through 
our  christian  community.     The  Lord  ever  be  on  your 

y2 


324  GORaBSPONDBNCB.  [1825. 

right  hand  and  on  your  left,  and  render  your  influence 
as  unbounded  as  the  desires  of  your  heart.  We  for- 
ward copies  of  the  New  York  Observer,  containing  a 
summary  view  of  all  our  anniversaries  lately  cele- 
brated in  this  city.  "  With  great  respect, 
"  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison.  "W.  A.  Hallock, 

*'  Cor.  Sec,  American  Tract  Society." 

The  following  communications  reached  Dr.  Morri- 
son while  at  Gravesend,  waiting  for  the  sailing  of  the 
vessel  which  was  to  convey  him  to  China. 


''  Great  St  Helens,  April  28th,  1826. 

*^  My  Dear  Morrison, 

♦  ♦  *  « I  was  at  the  Language  Institution 
Meeting  this  morning ;  it  was  better  attended  and  car- 
ried through  with  more  spirit  than  I  had  expected. 
The  President  was  prevented  by  duties  at  the  House  of 
Lords  from  being  present.  Sir  G.  Staunton  took  the 
chair.  He  introduced  the  business  of  the  day  with 
some  sensible  and  unaffected  remarks.  Your  name 
was  kindly  and  honourably  introduced  more  than 
once  in  the  report,  and  at  different  times  by  different 
speakers.  The  room  was  pleasantly  filled.  A  small 
collection  was  gathered  at  the  door.  The  speakers 
were  Sir  R.  Inglis,  Lord  Calthorpe,  Mr.  Burder,  sen. 
Mr.  Pearson,  Professor  Lee  (a  cordial,  good  speech), 
Mr.  Latham  (Church  Missionary  and  Bengalee  stu- 
dent), and  others.  The  meeting  closed  at  three  o^clock, 
and  broke  up  with  evidently  good  impressions,  and 
feelings  of  the  importance  of  the  work.  A  vote  of 
thanks  was  passed  to  yourself  and  the  other  gratuitous 
instructors. 


1826.]  LANQUAGB  INSTITUTION.  32S 

"  Mr.  Houston  will  add  a  linei — Every  blessing  on 
your  young  people — ^kind  love  to  Mrs.  Morrison. 

"  Very  affectionately  your's, 
"  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison.  "  H.  Townlby." 

"  My  Dsar  Sir,       **  Devonshire  Street,  Apr.  28th,  1826 

**  I  had  the  pleasure  of  attending  the  Anniversary 
Meeting  of  the  Language  Institute  this  morning,  at 
which  every  thing  was  admirably  conducted  and  swp^ 
ported,  saving  and  excepting,  that— owing  to  the  una- 
voidable absence  of  Lord  Bexley  upon  public  busi- 
ness— they  had  unfortunately  no  better  chairman  than 
your  humble  servant.  I  however  met  with  every 
attention  and  favourable  indulgence  from  the  meeting ; 
and  was  glad  to  have  had  an  opportunity  of  giving 
my  testimony  to  the  unwearied  zeal,  consummate  abi- 
lity, and  sound  discretion,  in  the  great  and  good  cause 
to  which  he  had  devoted  himself,  of  a  distinguished 
promoter  or  rather  founder  of  the  Institution,  whose 
absence  we  lamented,  and  with  whose  acquaintance, 
(and  I  venture  to  add  friendship,)  I  had  for  seventeen 
years  been  honoured. 

"  I  shall  send  you  my  papers  while  you  are  at 
Graveseud ;  and  will  thank  you  to  give  the  Morning 
Post  to  Urmston,  and  the  Representative  to  Davis, 
when  you  arrive  at  your  journey's  end. 

^^  I  am  happy  you  like  the  little  inkstand,  which  I 
was  hard  pushed  to  get  finished  previous  to  your  de- 
parture.     "  Believe  me  always,  most  sincerely  your's, 

"  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison.  "  Geo.  T.  Staunton.'' 

''  Gravesend,  23rd  April,  1826. 

'^  Reverend  and  Dear  Sm, 
'^  I  feel  it  incumbent  upon  me  as  a  duty,  before  I 
leave  this  place,  to  apologise  to  you,  in  behalf  of  Mr. 


326  corrbspondeucb.  [1825. 

Pritchett,  for  not  having  himself  personally  replied  to 
your  kind  letter,  signifying  to  him  yonr  leaving  this 
country.  Permit  me  to  assure  you  that  nothing  but 
overpowering  engagements  w^ould  have  caused  him  to 
have  committed  to  me  the  duty  of  replying  to  your 
letter.  Both  Mr.  P.  and  the  Committee  of  the  Prayer 
Book  and  Homily  Society,  duly  estimate  your  chris- 
tian love,  which  has  been  so  especially  manifested  by 
your  translations  of  the  Litui^y,  and  some  of  the 
Homilies,  into  the  language  of  the  Chinese  ;  and  be 
assured,  dear  Sir,  that  they  will  ever  appreciate  your 
co-operation  and  correspondence  with  them. 

'^  Our  Committee  were  pleased,  at  their  last  meeting, 
to  grant  400  Homily  Tracts  for  your  gratuitous  distri- 
tribution,  in  addition  to  those  forwarded  to  the  Mis- 
sionary House,  by  order  of  Mr.  Pritchett ;  and  be  as- 
sured that  they  will  ever  be  ready  to  act  with  you,  in 
any  way,  according  to  their  means,  whereby  they  may 
assist  you  in  the  prosecution  of  your  valuable  labours. 

"  That  the  Lord  may  in  mercy  long  spare  your  life, 
and  crown  your  efforts  with  abundant  success,  is  the 
fervent  prayer  of  your  most  respectful,  affectionate, 
and  humble  servant, 

'^Thomas  Seaward, 

**  AssistantSec.  of  the  Prayer  Book  and  Homily  Society." 

BRITISH  AND  FOREIGN  SEAMEN'S  FRIEND  SOCIETY. 

"  Committee  Room,  No.  18,  Aldermanbury, 
London,  27th  AprU,  1826. 

"  My  Dear  Sir, 
"  Herewith  I  send,  by  the  unanimous  vote  of  the 
Committee  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Seamen's  Friend 
Society  and  Bethel  Union,  a  Bethel  Flag,  and  the 
Sailor's  Magazines  from  the  beginning  of  last  year, 
vdth  six  spare  ones  for  the  present  month,  which  six 


1825.]  B.  F.  seamen's  friend  society.  327 

you  will;  if  agreeable,  distribute  among  the  seamen  of 
the  Orwell. — If  I  should  have  an  opportunity,  I  will 
send  also  a  few  for  May — ^they  are  not  yet  printed. 

*v*  *  "  The  Committee  will  not  lose  sight  of 
your  suggestion  about  a  Floating  Chapel  at  Whampoa, 
where  British  and  American  seamen  may  unite  toge- 
ther on  the  Sabbath  for  prayer  and  praise ;  and  I  hope 
in  some  future  letter  to  inform  you  that  a  subscription 
has  been  commenced  for  this  most  noble  purpose.  *  *  * 

"  Now,  my  dear  Sir,  I  conpiiit  you  to  HIM  whom 
you  love,  and  serve. — May  HE,  who  holds  the  winds 
in  his  fist,  and  the  waters  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand,  waft 
you  safely  over  the  mighty  ocean  to  the  scene  of  your 
labours,  and  may  HE  make  you  most  eminently  use- 
ful in  the  conversion  of  numbers  of  the  Chinese,  who 
shall  meet  you  hereafter  before  the  throne  of  God  and 
the  Lamb,  where  both  your  and  their  songs  shall  be 
of  redeeming  grace  and  dying  love,  through  the  count- 
less ages  of  eternity.  There  may  the  unworthy  writer, 
with  numberless  seamen  from  all  parts  of  tlie  world, 
meet  you,  where  sin  and  death  shall  be  known  no 
more. 

"  Adieu,  my  dear  friend — ^may  the  blessing  of  Je- 
hovah attend  you,  is  the  earnest  prayer  of,  my  dear 
Sir,         "  Your's  very  sincerely  and  affectionately, 

T.  Phillips, 

"  Secretary." 

"  Perhaps  you  will  permit  us  to  add  your  name  to 
our  Committee. 
"  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison,  &c.,  &c.,  &c. 

As  Dr.  Morrison  had  determined  on  taking  the 
whole  of  his  family  with  him  to  China,  in  the  hope 
of  his  children  devoting  themselves  to  the  service  of 
the  heathen,  he  relinquished  his  original  intention  of 


328  MISCELLANEOUS  REMARKS.  [I82d« 

returning  by  way  of  Bengal,  which  would  be  attended 
with  additional  expense  and  delay,  as  the  India  ships 
were  then  taking  out  troops  for  the  Burmese  war ;  he 
therefore  decided  upon  obtaining  a  passage  direct  to 
China,  and  for  this  purpose  fixed  upon  the  H.  C.  ship 
Orwell,  on  account  of  the  commander  being  reported 
fevourable  to  religion,  though  in  other  respects  the 
Orwell  presented  fewer  advantages  for  passengers  than 
most  ships  of  that  class. 

According  to  the  established  etiquette.  Dr.  Morrison 
^  signified  his  intention  of  returning  to  China,  and  re- 
quested the  permission  of  the  Court  of  Directors  to 
resume  his  duties  in  their  Factory  ;  and  also  that  the 
difierent  members  of  his  family  might  be  allowed  to 
accompany  him.  He  therefore  only  waited  their 
reply,  in  order  to  make  the  necessary  arrangements 
for  the  Toyage,  not  anticipating  any  disappointment 
to  arise  from  a  quarter,  where  so  lately  the  most 
friendly  disposition  had  been  manifested  towards  him ; 
and  consequently  he  was  not  a  little  surprised  on 
being  officially  informed  that  he  was  permitted  to  re- 
turn to  his  duties  in  the  Company's  service  ^^  for  the 
term  of  three  years" — ^but,  that  permission  was  not 
granted  for  his  two  elder  children  to  accompany  him  to 
China! 

In  what  light  soever  this  extraordinary  proceeding 
may  have  been  viewed  by  Dr.  Morrison's  friends  or 
others  (for  no  reason  was  assigned),  by  himself  it  was 
borne  with  his  usual  equanimity ;  and  although  he  em- 
bodied his  thoughts  on  the  subject  in  a  Memorial*  to 
the  Court  of  Directors,  in  which  he  recorded  the  ser- 
vices he  had  rendered  to  the  Factory  in  their  inter- 
course with  the  Chinese  Government  on  various  occa- 

*  This  Document  will  be  referred  to  by  llr.  Kidd  in  the  Ap- 
pendix. 


I 

I 


b 


1825.]  HISCELLAHEOL'S  REMARKS.  329 

Biona,  during  the  space  of  sixteen  years,  and  his 
sense  of  the  unmerited  disapprobation  which  was 
implied  in  the  limited  period  to  which  his  services 
were  rGstricted ;  yet,  on  further  consideration,  this  me- 
morial was  never  presented,  chiefly  from  tfie  appre- 
hension that  in  granting  its  prayer,  any  compromise 
of  Ms  missionary  character  might  be  required.  On 
being  advised  to  urge  his  claims  to  be  placed  on  an 
equality  with  the  Company's  covenanted  servants,  by 
which  he  would  be  entitled  to  a  retiring  pension  and 
other  privileges,  he  remarks,  with  his  characteristic 
disinterestedness  : — "  I  do  not  feel  inclined  to  plead  my 
own  cause  with  the  Directors,  I  would  rather  retire  back 
on  my  ministerial  and  missionary  character,  than  im- 
portune them  even  to  do  me  Justice."  •  *  •  Clouds 
begin  to  gather  as  we  approach  the  evening  of  life ; 
but  the  light  of  the  Divine  countenance  will,  I  trust, 
shine  upon  our  souls  and  cheer  our  hearta  in  distant 
lands." 

As  Dr.  Morrison  had  originally  accepted  a  civil  ap- 
pointment, with  a  view  to  the  more  effectually  secu- 
ring a  residence  in  China,  for  the  purposes  already 
stated : — viz.  the  compiling  a  Dictionary  of  the  lan- 
guage, and  translating  the  Bible  ;  so  now,  that  these 
objects  were  accomplished,  it  is  evident  he  did  not  feel 
himself  justified  in  seeking  its  continuance,  merely  on 
the  ground  of  private  advantage;  and,  therefore,  al- 
though the  communication  alluded  to,  might  have 
damped  ordinary  ardour  in  the  prosecution  of  its 
duties,  and  have  had  a  discouraging  effect  on  his 
future  services  for  the  church  and  the  world,  yet  he 
still  resolved,  in  accordance  with  the  simplicity  of 
motive  by  which  he  had  always  been  actuated,  and  in 
humble  dependance  ou  Divine  aid,  to  commit  himself 
and  his  family  to  the  care  of  his  heavenly  Father,  and 


330  MISCELULNBOUS   REMARKS.  [1825. 

again  to  resume  his  labours  in  China.  The  subse- 
quent history  of  his  life  bears  ample  testimony  to 
the  dbinterested  liberality  of  principle,  and  untiring 
zeal  which  animated  him  on  his  return,  in  the  discharge 
of  his  official  duties,  and  in  carrpng  forward  that  series 
of  philanthropic  labours  which  he  had  so  successfully 
begun,  not  only  without  pecuniary  reward,  but  under 
the  painful  conviction  that  his  public  services  for 
so  many  years,  might  not  command  for  the  surviving 
members  of  his  family  even  the  usual  provision,  should 
he  be  removed  at  an  early  period.  But  although  Dr. 
Morrison  had  only  the  brief  term  of  three  years  in 
prospect,  when  he  left  England,  yet  in  the  arrange^ 
ments  of  Divine  Providence,  no  interruption  was  per- 
mitted to  take  place  in  the  discharge  of  his  official 
duties,  till  the  close  of  the  East  India  Company's 
Charter,  and  the  commencement  of  the  administration 
of  his  Majesty's  Qovemment,  under  which  he  consented 
to  accept  an  appointment.  Indeed  there  is  reason  to 
believe,  that  such  a  restricted  term  as  the  Company 
had  prescribed,  was  more  in  accordance  with  offi- 
cial precedents,  than  from  any  intention  of  dispensing 
with  Dr.  Morrison's  services  during  their  own  period 
of  government ;  while  their  subsequent  conduct  in 
granting  a  pension  to  his  family,  is  an  honourable  tes- 
timonial of  their  ^^  sense  of  his  merits  and  services.'' 
To  occurrences  of  a  public  nature  which  were 
calculated  to  excite  a  depressing  influence  on  Dr. 
Morrison's  mind  in  connexion  with  his  anticipated  de- 
parture from  England,  was  added  a  severe  domestic 
trial,  in  the  threatened  loss  of  a  beloved  child,  who  in 
apparent  health  was  suddenly  seized  with  a  dangerous 
iUiiess,  from  which,  though  partially  restored,  yet  ap- 
prehensions for  his  safety  were  not  entirely  removed, 
till  he  reached  a  milder  climate.     Under  such  circum- 


1825.]  COBRESPONDBNCE.  331 

stances  the  natural  tenderness  of  Dr.  Morrison^s  cha- 
racter was  particularly  displayed,  though  modified  by 
a  firmness  of  principle,  founded  on  his  unshaken  con- 
fidence in  the  wisdom  of  that  overruling  Providence, 
without  whose  permission  not  even  a  sparrow  can  fall 
to  the  ground ;  but  whose  superintending  care  over 
His  people  is  displayed  in  rendering  apparent  evil  con- 
ducive to  their  real  good.  The  union  of  these  quali- 
ties, may  be  observed  in  the  following  extracts  from 
private  correspondence  at  this  period. 

Upon  his  return,  after  leaving  his  family  at  Brigh- 
ton, Dec.  30th,  1825,  he  writes  : —  •  ♦        • 

"  On  my  arrival  at  the  Grove  I  found  all  hands  at 
home.  Ann  had  unshipped  the  couch  covers,  and  the 
study  was  dreary — heing  empty;  but  she  soon  gotafijre 
lighted,  and  produced  supper.  No  letters,  but  com- 
mittee summonses,  and  a  proof  of  the  "  Memorial*," 
had  arrived.  When  the  Memorial  appears,  I  shall  be 
thought  quite  heterodox  on  the  devoteeum  of  Mission- 
aries. That  we  should  be  devoted,  and  endure  hard- 
ships, as  good  soldiers,  is  manifestly  true ;  but  it  is 
not  these  things  that  will  convert  the  Heathen ;  but 
the  IhUhs  of  the  Gospel.  ♦  *  ♦  Pray  for  me  that 
I  may  be  faithful  till  death  as  it  becomes  a  good  Mis- 
sionary of  Christ — ^to  whose  blessed  name  be  glory 
forever!         #        •         •        ♦ 

''  Saturday,  Dec.  3lat. 

*  *  *  In  reference  to  past  events  of  a  domestic 
nature  he  remarks : — ^^  We  are  all  imder  the  benignant 
government  of  Jehovah — His  servants — and  he  is 
our  Father  in  heaven,  reconciled  through  the  merits 
and  intercession  of  our  elder  Brother — Jesus  our  Sa- 
viour. I  am  anxious  for  you  all  whenever  I  forget 
God ;  but  resigned  and  tranquil  when  I  remember 

*  **  Paiiixig  Mammal,"  then  in  the  piesa. 


332  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1826* 

him.  O  that  He  may  put  His  Holy  Spirit  into  the 
hearts  of  the  children^  that  they  too  may  fear  Him, 
and  serve  him  tiU  their  sojourn  on  earth  be  finished- 
then  we  shall  all,  I  trust,  meet  among  the  blessed  in 
heaven.  What  the  next  year  may  bring  forth,  we 
know  not.  We  have  a  great  change  as  to  place  and 
circumstances  in  prospect — ^but  you  know,  our  God 
and  Father  is  equally  present,  and  equally  powerful, 
by  sea  or  by  land,  in  England  or  in  China.  May  He 
be  to  us  every  day,  and  every  hour,  the  strength  of 
our  souls,  the  support  of  our  minds — fear  not— only 
believe  on  him  f  ♦  *  *  After  sending  off  a  letter 
to  you  this  morning  (having  walked  to  town),  I  tra- 
velled to  Paternoster  Row,  to  the  booksellers ;  from 
thence  to  the  Languc^e  Institution,  where  a  draftsman 
is  making  some  sketches  for  the  ^  Dialogues.'  From 
thence,  by  a  long   round,  I  proceeded  towards  Sir 

Stamford's— -called  on  Mrs.  W j  who  is  ill ;  next 

went  to  the  Royal  Asiatic  Society,  and  conversed 
with  Sir  Alex.  Johnstone — ^to  Sir  Stamford's  house, 
and  found  that  he  does  not  return  till  February. — I 
was  now  hungry  and  wearied,  and  went  into  an 
eating-house  near  Bemers-street,  where  I  got  boiled 
beef,  one  plate ;  three  potatoes ;  a  piece  of  bread ;  a 
pint  of  porter ;  pepper,  salt,  mustard,  and  a  penny  for 
the  waiter,  all  for  one  shilling !  I  then  hied  to  Mrs. 
A.'s,  to  pay  a  visit  by  proxy  for  you — ^here  all  "  char- 
mingly, "  so  glad  to  see  me,  &c.  From  there  to  York- 
street — all  much  as  usual.  Tlien  down  by  a  Padding- 
ton  stage,  got  all  the  magazines,  and  hied  home  to 
Hackney,  being  tired,  and  very  solitary :  have  been 
looking  them  over  till  now,  half-past  eleven. 

^' Sunday  Evening,  January  1,  1826. 

*    *    This  morning  I  attended  public  worship  at 
Dr.  Smith's,  and  remained  the  communion  with  his 


I 


I 

I 


1886.]  CORREBPOKDBNCB.  333 

chorch.  I  remembered  you  audthe  children,  and  im- 
plored God's  blessing  on  us  during  the  ensuing  year. 
Let  UB  ever  remember  what  our  Saviour  endured  for 
our  redemption.  He  gave  himself  a  sacrifice  for  us.  I 
have  been  writing  on  the  text,  "  We  are  strangers 
and  sojourners."  God  grant  ub  a  strong  faith  in  his 
precious  promises,  and  a  clear  perception  of  eternal 
realities — a  joyful  anticipation  of  home.  Rejoice  with 
me,  and  mfty  our  children  rejoice  with  us,  in  the  as- 
sured hope  of  eternal  life.     *     * 

Respecting  the  indisposition  of  his  youngest  child, 
he  says,  "  Do  not  anticipate  evil  concerning  Robert : 
medical  opimonH  are  so  uncertain,  they  should  neither 
depress,  no,  nor  inspire  confidence.  Daily,  hourly, 
trust  in  God." 

Tuesday,  I  rose  with  headache,  and  it  has  grown 
worse  since.  I  went  to  the  Language  Liatitution ; 
and  had  thoughts  of  going  to  the  India  House  to  tell 
you  what  had  occurred,  but  my  head  was  too  unwell. 
•  "  Took  this  to  town  yesterday  ;  but  between  the 
Austin  Friars'  meeting  and  Sir  Alexander's  diinier,  I 
forgot  it,  till  it  was  too  late  for  the  post.  We  had  a 
Captain  M*  *,  a  Mahratta  scholar.  Professor  B*  *,  a 
French  Sanscrit  scholar,  and  a  Cingalese,  with  lady 
J.  and  daughters.  Called  at  Dr.  Waugh's — all  in  their 
usual  health." 

Alluding  to  separation  from  his  family  in  the  event 
of  sickness,  Dr.  Morrison  observes,  "  There  is  in  my 
character  a  mixture  of  the  softest  affection,  and  of 
stern  severity  when  duty  calls.  In  the  day  of  battle, 
I  cannot  be  the  coward  that  would  stay  at  home.  Hea- 
ven help  me,  and  do  you  *  •  encourage  me  to  behave 
valiautly  in  the  good  cause  we  have  espoused  ;  to  do  so, 
will,  I  am  convinced,  my  love,  soothe  your  mind  in 
Buftering  and  in  death.       Much  happiness  will   arise 


334  CORRJSSPONDBNCE.  [1826. 

from  the  interchange  of  thought,  and  the  reciprocity 
of  tender  affection  and  love,  whatever  our  external 
circumstances  may  be.  Trials  we  may  anticipate,  for 
who  is  without  them?  but  reciprocal  confidence, 
blended  with  ardent  attachment  to  each  other,  and  to 
the  Saviour's  cause,  will  I  trust  enable  us  to  sustain 
trials  with  fortitude  and  with  cheerfulness.  We  un- 
dertake  a  great  work  in  going  forth  to  the  heathen — 
do  you  help  me,  and  remind  me  of  my  duty.  Your 
approbation  will  encourage  me — and  your  defence 
and  happiness  shall  be  my  constant  study,  subordi- 
nate to  nothing  but  Heaven's  high  commands.'' 

Some  extracts  from  letters  addressed  to  different 
friends,  will  furnish  a  continuation  of  this  narrative, 
with  little  aid  from  the  compiler,  farther  than  to  ar- 
range the  subjects,  so  as  to  avoid  unnecessary  repe- 
tition; the  same  circumstances  and  incidents  being 
communicated  to  several  correspondents,  little  variation 
is  observed  in  the  relation  of  them ;  and  all  minute 
detail  is  avoided,  as  it  will  be  remembered,  that  Dr. 
Morrison's  more  important  pursuits  allowed  but  little 
time  for  the  very  extensive  correspondence  he  carried 
on.  The  following  paragraph  was  addressed  to  Dr. 
Clunie. 

*  *  *  "  Since  I  saw  you,  two  of  my  kindred 
have  departed  this  life;  may  we  be  prepared  for  a 
change  of  worlds!  The  uncertainty  of  life  has  for 
several  years  been  much  on  my  mind,  and  I  desire  to 
be  found  watching.  *  We  should  always,'  the  Chinese 
say,  *  cherish  fear,' — a  kind  of  awe,  and  seriousness  of 
mind, — and  especially  in  times  of  prosperity  and  high 
health.  ^  We  should  suspect  some  danger  nigh,  when 
we  possess  delight.  A  pious  delight  in  the  Saviour 
and  his  religion,  does  not  indicate  evil,  but  worldly  joy 
usually  does."     *****# 


1826.]  COBBEBPOXDENCE.  335 

"  From  having  to  go  about  town  so  frequently,  I 
have  less  time  for  study  and  correspondence  than 
I  had  in  China ;  and  being  hurried  from  one  public 
meeting  to  another,  has  prevented  my  writing  to  you 
lately.  We  shall  be  glad  to  see  you  and  Mrs.  Clunie 
in  our  cottage  here ;  it  is  small,  but  if  you  will  honour 
us  with  a  visit,  I  could  show  my  recollection  of  the 

attention  I  received  from  you  and  M at  Leaf 

Square.** 

Jan.  30,  1826. 

"  I  have  deferred  writing  to  you,  in  consequence  of 
the  delay  of  the  East  India  Company,  in  returning 
me  an  answer  to  a  second  application  concerning  the 
children.  They  have  now,  however,  replied  to  me, 
and  granted  me  permission,  after  a  consideration  of  all 
the  circumstances,  to  take  M.  R.  and  John  R.  with 
us  to  China.  The  ship  must  be  at  Gravesend  on  the 
22nd  of  March,  and  in  the  Downs  on  the  27th  of 
April.  When  we  shall  embark  is  not  yet  fixed ;  but, 
I  shall  presume,  before  the  Orwell  leaves  Gravesend. 
To-morrow,  I  am  going,  (if  Providence  permit)  to  see 
the  ship,  and  decide  something  about  the  manner  of 
fitting  up  our  cabins. 

^^  I  shall  continue  to  teach  Chinese  at  the  Languc^e 
Institution,  and  to  the  ladies,  till  the  end  of  February ; 
and  after  that,  devote  myself  entirely  to  the  necessary 
equipment  for  our  long  voyage,  and  bidding  a  fare^ 
well  to  England."  ♦  ♦  ♦  u  Perhaps  we  shall  not 
meet  you  any  more. — May  every  blessing  be  granted 
you  from  the  Father  of  mercies,  and  the  God  of  all 
consolations !  If  spared  to  reach  China,  it  is  my  pur- 
pose to  devote  myself  to  explanatory  writing  for  the 
benefit  of  the  Chinese.  I  have  gone  to  more  than  a 
thousand  pounds  expense  for  the  books,  to  assist  me, 
whilst  abroad,  in  the  public  service. 


336  FARBWfiLL   ADDRESS.  [1826. 

^*  Should  any  friends  enquire  after  us,  give  our  kind 
regards  to  them.  Pray  that  the  ^^  power  of  Clirist'' 
may  rest  upon  us.^         ♦        •        #        ♦        # 

A  valedictory  service  having  been  appointed  by  the 
Directors  of  the  London  Missionary  Society,  to  be 
held  at  Hoxton  Academy  Chapel,  for  the  purpose  of 
publicly  commending  Dr.  Morrison  and  his  family 
to  the  Divine  protection ;  there  was  present,  besides 
several  other  ministers  who  engaged  in  the  service, 
the  venerable  Dr.  Waugh,  who,  in  an  affecting 
manner,  expressed  the  deep  interest  and  affection  that 
was  cherished  towards  the  person  and  labours  of  the 
distinguished  individual,  of  whom  they  were  then  to 
take  a  last  farewell.  The  following  address  was  then 
delivered  by  Dr.  Morrison. 

ADDRESS  AT  HOXTON. 

'^  In  standing  up  to  take  my  leave  of  you  on  this 
occasion,  I  would  invite  your  attention  to  two  pas- 
sives of  Scripture. 

^^ '  By  faith  Abraham,  when  he  was  called  forth  to 
go  out  into  a  place  which  he  should  after  receive  for 
an  inheritance,  obeyed,  and  he  went  out,  not  knowing 
whither  he  went,'  (Heb.  xi.  4.)  *  And  now,  behold,  I 
go,  bound  in  the  spirit,  imto  Jerusalem,  not  knowing 
the  things  that  shall  befal  me  there.'  (Acts  xx.  22.) 

"  My  Christian  Friends, — Holy  Scripture  is  rich 
in  examples  suited  to  all  cases  and  circumstances  of  the 
christian's  experience.  I  have  selected  two  passs^es, 
as  peculiarly  applicable  to  him  on  whose  account  this 
meeting  is  assembled.:  of  course,  I  mean  to  apply  them 
only  to  circumstances,  and  presume  not,  in  all  particu- 
lars, to  resemble  Abraham  and  Paul.  But  if  Abraham 
obeyed  the  command  of  God,  and  went  forward  in  the 


86.] 


ON    LBAVINO    EtiOLAKV. 


337 


r 

Hficercise  of  faith  in  the  Divine  presence,  and  humble 
rdepeudeuce  on  the  Divine  care  ;  should  not  the  Mission- 
ary,  who  is  called  by  the  churches  to  go  forth  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  imitate  him  in  obedience  and  faith  1 
If  Paul,  bound  in  the  spirit,  went  forward,  though  he 
knew  not  what  might  befal  him,  is  it  not  the  duty  of 
the  christian  Missionary  to  go  forward,  imitating  his 
example,  nnder  the  probability  of  dying  abroad  l 
Abraham  went  forth,  '  not  knowing  whither  he  went ;' 
but  he  went  to  the  land  which  was  promised  him  for 
au  inheritance.  Here,  I  trust,  there  is  a  spiritual  re- 
semblance; for  the  heathen  are  given  to  Christ  for  an 
inheritance  ;  and  the  Missionary  goes  forth  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  and  shall  with  the  Lord  share  the 
inheritance,  Abraham  went  at  the  express  command 
of  God  ;  we  have  received  no  express  commission  from 
hira :  but  we  regard  the  voice  of  the  church,  as  the 
voice  of  God:  we  disclaim  all  Bufficiency:  we  may 
say,  with  Moses,  without  his  rebellious  spirit,  '  Who 
am  I,  that  I  should  go  unto  Pharaoh,  and  that  I  should 
bring  forth  the  children  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt  T 
Wlio  are  we,  tliat  we  should  go  to  the  kings  of  heathen 
I  nations,  and  attempt  to  deliver  the  people  from  hea- 
then bondage  1  We  have  no  authority  from  princes, 
or  from  kings  ;  we  are  not  eloquent ;  we  have  no  di- 
plomatic finesse  or  chicanery;  we  are  not  men  of  ad- 
dress; and  if  we  had  all  these  things,  we  should  re- 
[  Bounce  all  dependence  upon  them.  But  we  rely  on  the 
I  presence  of  that  God,  who  said  to  Moses,  '  Now  there- 
f  fore  go,  and  I  will  be  with  thy  mouth,  and  teach  thee 
urhat  thou  shalt  say.'  God's  presence  is  our  hope; 
dee  we  should  say,  *  If  thy  presence  go  not  with  us, 
bt  us  not  go  hence.'  We  have  not  the  miracle-work- 
15  rod  of  Moses ;  but  we  take  the  Bible,  and  we  say 

VOL.  11.  z 


338  FAREWELL   ADDRESS  [1826. 

to  the  heathen,  '  Jehovah  reigneth ;' — *  thus  saith  the 
Lord\  Whether  they  will  hear,  or  whether  they  will 
forbear,  it  is  not  for  us  to  know :  but  to  obey,  is  a 
duty  we  owe  both  to  God  and  to  man. 

^*  We  are  surrounded  by  a  great  cloud  of  witnesses. 
They  had  not  received  the  promises,  but  they  were 
'  persuaded  of  them,  and  embraced  them,  and  con- 
fessed that  they  were  strangers  and  pilgrims  on  the 
earth.'  *  And  thus  Abraham,  when  he  was  called, 
went  out,  not  knowing  whither  he  went'  ^  These  all 
endured  a£Bdction  and  reproach  for  the  sake  of  Christ 
Jesus ;'  and  ^  through  faith  they  subdued  kingdoms, 
wrought  righteousness,  obtained  promises,  stopped  the 
mouths  of  lions,  waxed  valiant  in  fight,  turned  to 
flight  the  armies  of  the  aliens.'  Seeing  we  are  sur- 
rounded by  so  great  a  cloud  of  witnesses  of  faith, 
both  active  and  suffering,  we  desire  to  look  to  ^  Jesus, 
the  author  and  finisher  of  faith.'  We  desire  to  take 
the  faith  of  Abel,  of  Enoch,  of  Noah,  of  Abraham, 
of  Sarah,  of  Jacob,  of  Joshua,  and  others  for  our  ex- 
ample ;  but,  above  all,  we  desire  to  look  to  him  who 
^  endured  the  cross,  and  despised  the  shame  ;'  ^  resist- 
ing unto  blood,  striving  against  sin;'  and,  is  now 
raised  again ;  ^  Head  over  all  things  to  the  church/ 
having  *  all  power  in  heaven  and  in  earth.'  To  every 
one  of  his  faithful  servants  he  says,  ^  I  will  never 
leave  you,  I  will  never  forsake  you.'  When  we  pass 
through  rivers  and  through  fires,  he  who  of  old  was 
with  his  people,  and  guided  them  as  a  flock,  and  said, 
^  touch  not  mine  anointed,  and  do  my  prophets  no 
harm!'  he  will  be  with  us,  even  Jehovah  Jesus,  Hhe 
same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever.' 

^^  These  are  our  hopes,  and  views,  and  feelings  in 
the  prospect  of  going  forth  among  the  heathen.     You 


1826.]  ON  LBAvmo  England.  339 

see  we  trust  not  in  our  arm  of  flesh,  but  in  the  living 
God.  He  is  the  same  as  when  of  old  he  said,  '  Fear 
not,  Abram,  I  am  thy  shield  and  exceeding  great 
reward.' 

'^  A  voyage  to  China  is  one  of  the  most  distant  that 
is  performed.  The  variety  of  climate  through  which 
we  shall  have  to  pass  is  very  great.  From  a  place 
where  the  leaves  are  scarcely  on  the  trees,  we  shall, 
within  a  month,  reach  a  part  where  nature  is  always 
green.  In  another  month,  we  shall  pass  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope,  but  which  some  very  properly  call  the 
Land  of  Storms.  In  July,  we  expect  to  be  in  a  part 
which  is  cold  and  frigid,  where  the  sea  nms,  almost 
literally,  mountains  high.  As  we  approach  China, 
we  expect  to  encounter  a  sort  of  hurricane;  in  a 
part  where  the  wind  blows  from  every  point  of  the 
compass  almost  at  once,  chopping  round  continually. 
Here,  some  of  the  best  ships  are  dismasted,  and  some- 
times  destroyed.  An  immense  number  of  vessels  of  va- 
rious descriptions  are  wrecked  in  the  river  of  Canton; 
and  the  Chinese  endeavour  in  a  variety  of  ways  to 
propitiate  the  god  who  presides,  as  they  pretend,  in 
these  tempests.  In  September,  we  expect  to  arrive  at 
Canton!  This  is  our  hope — ^but  God  only  knows 
whether  it  will  be  realized ! 

"  Europeans  are  allowed  to  live  only  on  the  frontiers 
of  China — at  Canton  and  Macao.  In  these  places 
are  a  vast  number  of  catholics  and  pagans.  Each 
have  their  processions  almost  continually  passing 
through  the  streets ;  the  one  seeming,  as  it  were,  to 
mock  the  other.  Amongst  these  is  to  be  our  residence. 
Europeans  are  not  allowed  to  go  any  great  distance 
from  the  suburbs  of  these  places,  and  then  they  must 
be  unaccompanied  by  their  families.    Canton  is  wholly 

z2 


340  FAREWELL    ADDH^SS.  L^826, 

given  up  to  idolatry,  to  gain,  to  dissipation :  Sunday 
and  Saturday  are  alike.  The  sound  of  merchandise 
— ^packing  and  unpacking  of  goods — the  chinking  of 
dollars — ^the  firing  of  maroons  to  salute  vessels  going 
out  and  coming  in — the  ringing  of  bells  to  awaken 
sleepy  gods,  &c.,  are  heard  every  day  alike.  There 
is  no  such  thing  as  rest  to  a  Chinaman  ;  all  is  bustle 
and  fatigue,  except  for  a  few  days  at  the  beginning  of 
the  year,  when  rich  and  poor,  old  and  young,  men, 
women,  and  children,  all  purchase  some  new  garment, 
repair  to  the  temples  of  their  idols  for  worship,  &c. 
And  then  eating  and  drinking,  drunkenness  and  de- 
bauchery  ensue,  till  the  wants  of  the  poor,  and  the 
fatigue  of  the  rich,  call  them  to  engage  again  in  their 
various  pursuits.  Now,  do  not  your  fellow- christians, 
resident  in  China,  require  your  prayers  ?  Malacca  is 
twelve  hundred  miles  from  Canton,  and  of  course  a 
long  journey  must  be  taken,  if  we  wish  to  see  our 
brethren  there.  If  the  monsoons  set  in,  we  are  six 
months  before  we  can  get  letters  from  them.  And  if 
our  friends  here,  do  not  write  to  us  before  they  hear 
X)f  our  arrival  in  China,  it  will  be  about  two  years 
before  we  hear  from  them. 

.  "  And  now,  brethren,  I  know  not  on  what  topic  to 
address  you  as  the  last ;  whether  on  the  trials  of  time, 
or  the  prospects  of  eternity.  Both  have  their  interest. 
The  trials  of  families  are  great,  especially  in  a  foreign 
land.  But  these  our  afflictions  are  ^  light ' — flight  in 
comparison  with  the  gnawings  of  a  guilty  conscience 
— ^in  comparison  with  human  deserts.  Ah!  let  us 
ever  be  silent  as  to  our  afflictions.  Let  us  call  to 
mind  the  sufferings  which  Christ  endured,  and  then 
our  trials  will  appear  light ! 

**  We  ought  to  have  partaken  of  the  Lord's  supper 
to-night ;  then  our  strength  would  have  been  refreshed  ; 


1826.]  DEPARTURE   FROM    ENGLAND.  341 

for  his  ^  flesh  is  meat  indeed/  and  his  ^  blood  is  drink 
indeed.'  Let  us  look  to  Christ — ^to  Christ  in  all  his 
love,  and  mercy,  and  mediatorial  work.  Let  this  ever 
dwell  in  all  our  hearts.  So  shall  we  be  cheered  in 
every  bereavement,    and  find  ourselves  at  home  in 

every  clime !     Farewell !" 

Dr.  Morrison  s  departure  from  London  is  noticed  in 
the  following  letter  to  Dr.  Clunie. 

''  Hacknej,  Middlesex,  March  13th,  1826.  ' 

**  My  Dear  John,  ^ 

#  #  #  «  The  time  of  our  departure  is  near* 
On  Friday  last,  we  and  Townley  visited  the  Orwell, 
in  the  East  India  Docks,  destined,  (if  God  will)  to 
carry  us  to  China.  At  present,  there  is  great  proba- 
bility that  we  shall  be  one  short  of  our  complement. 
Dear  little  Robert  has  been  ill  ever  since  Friday  last 
of  croup.         #         #         # 

*^  There  are  good  accounts  from  the  College.  Collie 
has  sent  home  some  good  specimens  of  his  attainments 
in  Chinese.  Milne's  Commentary  on  the  Ephesians, 
in  Chinese,  and  Collie's  Tracts,  have  been  received — 
all  in  the  first  style  of  Chinese  printing.  I  know  you 
will  rejoice  at  this.  #  *  *  April  the  16th  or  20th 
we  must  be  on  board.  We  have  many  preparatory 
arrangements  to  attend  to.  Robert  is — (oh,  Qod 
pity  us !)  to  live  or  to  die."         *         *         # 

''  Falcon  Inn,  Gravesend,  April  21  st,  1826. 

#  *  #  i<  '\ye  have  now  all  of  us  quitted  Hack- 
ney on  our  way  to  China.  To-day,  about  eleven 
o'clock,  a  party  of  friends,  Revds.  G.  and  H.  Burder, 
Townley,  and  others,  knelt  down  and  commended  us 


342  CORRESPONDBNCE.  [1826* 

to  God's  gracious  care.  From  this  room,  our  ship  the 
Orwell,  is  in  sight ;  and  next  to  her,  another  China 
ship,  the  General  Harris,  which  will  sail  before  us. 
In  her.  Sir  Wm.  Fraser  goes  as  passenger.  He  is  an 
old  acquaintance,  and  is  to  be  our  chief  authority  in 
the  English  Factory.  The  day  of  our  sailing  is  still 
undetermined."         #         #         # 

Instead  of  embarking  immediately,  as  was  expected. 
Dr.  Morrison  was  detained  at  Gravesend  until  the 
1st  of  May,  in  consequence  of  the  difficulty  of  getting 
the  ship  manned.  The  Orwell  being  in  bad  repute 
with  the  sailors,  the  commander  was  at  last  obliged  to 
sail  without  the  usual  complement  of  men.  This  pe- 
riod of  detention  at  Gravesend  was  exceedingly  ex- 
citing—daily expecting  to  embark— while  friends  and 
relatives,  who  heard  of  the  delay,  were  anxiously 
availing  themselves  of  it,  to  enjoy  a  parting  inter- 
view with  one,  whom  the  more  they  knew,  the  more 
painful  was  the  thought,  that  they  should  see  his  face 
no  more. 

Happily  the  necessary  preparation  for  a  family 
embarking  on  so  long  a  voyc^e,  kept  the  mind  too 
much  occupied  to  admit  of  painful  anticipations. 

Among  other  tokens  of  friendship  received  by 
Dr.  Morrison  on  the  eve  of  his  departure  from  £ng- 
gland,  was  one,  which  from  his  high  esteem  for  the 
donor,  afforded  him  peculiar  gratification.  It  was  a 
beautiful  and  valuable  inkstand,  bearing  this  in- 
scription : — 

**  TO  THE  REV.  ROBERT  MORRISON,  D.  D. 

From  his  affectionate  friend,  George  Thomas  Staunton." 

It  is  acknowledged,  with  other  marks  of  attention 
received  at  that  time,  in  the  following  notes. 


182&]  TO   SIR  OSO.    T.    tTAUHTON,    BABT.  343 

**  My  Dear  Sir,     **  Gimvcaend,  Falcon  Lm,  Apr.  29, 1826. 

^^  I  have  received  the  beautiful  Inkstand  which  you 
have  sent  me,  and  done  me  the  honour  to  inscribe 
with  your  own  name.  In  China,  and  in  England, 
you  have  for  twenty  years  condescended,  I  may  say, 
(considering  my  humble  circumstances)  to  favour  me 
with  your  friendship.  This  last  token  of  your  kind 
regard  shall  be  preserved  in  my  family  as  a  memento 
of  your  goodness  to  me.  Accept,  my  dear  Sir  George, 
of  my  sincerely  grateful  thanks  for  sdl  your  kindi^ess ; 
and  for  your  substantial  aid  to  the  cause  of  our  holy 
religion,  through  me,  its  humble  servant. 

^^  And  accept  of  my  best  thanks  for  this  parting  ex- 
pression of  your  ^  affectionate '  friendship.  May  the 
divine  blessing  of  God  our  Saviour  rest  upon  you !'' 


TO  THE  SAME. 

**  H.  C.  Ship  Orwelly  under  weigh  down  Channel, 

May  5,  1826. 

"  My  Dear  Sir, 

'^  I  was  much  gratified  to  find  that  you  filled  the 
chair  on  the  first  anniversary  of  the  Language  Institu- 
tion, and  were  supported  by  Lord  Calthorp,  and  others 
of  high  reputation  for  good  principles.  To  assist  in 
means  so  simple  and  catholic  for  the  extension  of  our 
common  Christianity,  will,  I  am  sure,  afford  you  heart- 
felt satisfaction  in  your  gravest  moments. 

"  To-day  I  received  from  you,  by  way  of  Deal,  the 
Morning  Post  for  the  1st  of  May,  and  the  John  Bull 
for  the  30th  ult.         *         *         * 

^^  In  the  Orwell  we  are  well  supplied  with  room ; 
but  our  ship  is  not  fitted  up  in  the  style  of  some 
Bengal  and  China  ships. 

^^  We  have  a  fine  breeze  to-night,  and  I  hope  to  be 


344  COBRSSPOMDENCB.  [1826. 

off  the  Isle  of  Wight  by  daylight  to-morrow  morning. 
As  I  have  no  intention  of  a  speedy  return  from  China, 
I  must  now  bid  you,  dear  Sir  George,  a  long  farewell ! 
May  the  Divine  blessing  rest  upon  you ;  and  may 
we  finally  meet  in  heaven,  through  the  merits  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  who  died  for  our  salva- 
tion.    Farewell ! 

"  Your  s,  gratefully  and  affectionately, 

"Robert  Morrison." 
"  Sir  G.  T.  Staunton,  Bart.,  &c.,  &c.,  &c. 


Bmbarkatioo. — EDgigcmeDU  on  the  Vaytge, — Laoded  si  Mldeira.— Hating 
on  Board. —  landed  nl  Anjier. — Visit  to  Singipore. — Met  the  other  Tnu- 
teei  of  the  Inititulion. — ArriTol  in  China. — Continution  of  hii  Miniiteiiil, 
Lllenrr.  uid  Official  Uboara.— Public  and  private  Correipandence.— Print- 
ing com  mc  need   at  Macao.^Preaa  inlerdicted  by  the   Portugu»e  Gooern- 

— lUneti  in  1833— Departare  of  his  Family  far  England. - 
to  Canton. — Home  at  Macao  girea  np. — Disiolution  of  the  Eut  India  Com- 
pany's Eitibliihment. — Dr.  .Morriaon'g  retnra  to  Macao.— Arrival  of  hia 
Majeal]''i  Commiuioner  Lord  Napier. — Dr-  Morriion  aeeepti  aa  appointment 
under  GoTirnment.— Aecompaniea  Lord  Napier  to  Canton.— Engaged  in 
AltoTcatioDB  with  [he  Cbineie  Gotemment. — Loit  Illneia. —Death. 

Having  now  to  enter  upon  the  last,  and,  in  many 
respects,  not  the  least  eventful  period  of  this  narrative  ; 
it  is  with  great  regret  that  the  writer  feels  compelled 
to  curtail  much  that  is  of  an  interesting  and  instruc- 
tive nature,  rather  than  extend  the  work  beyond  the 
limits  she  had  originally  prescribed.  Not  indeed  that 
there  is  any  one  work  to  be  recorded  of  equal  impor- 
tance to  the  Dictionary,  or  the  Translation  of  the 
Bible ;  but,  apart  from  pressing  official  duties,  there 
remains  to  be  noticed  Dr.  Morrison's  persevering  ex- 
ertions to  carry  on  the  comprehensive  system  of  moral 
renovation,  of  which  he  had  laid  the  permanent 
foundation — ^his  unabated  zeal,  as  manifested  in  the 
numerous  plana  of  usefulness  he  was  ever  intent  on 
devising — the  correctness  of  his  views,  respecting  the 
moral  and  political  state  of  China,  and  the  sound 
discretion    he  displayed  in  the   use    of    appropriate, 


346  LBTTEBS   FROM   DR.    MORRISON.  [1826. 

though  hitherto  untried  means  for  its  regeneration— 
the  influential  impression  of  moral  responsibility,  and 
christian  obligation,  which  led  him  to  subordinate 
all  his  temporal  interests  to  the  Divine  authority — 
the  deep  humility,  and  habitually  devotional  spirit,  he 
maintained  under  all  the  counteracting  circumstances 
of  worldly  intercourse,  official  discussions,  and  the 
study  of  pagan  Avritings — ^his  patient  fortitude  under 
domestic  affliction,  declining  health,  and  in  the  pros- 
pect of  death;  which,  if  less  splendid  and  imposing 
in  the  eyes  of  the  world,  are  yet  not  less  calculated  to 
illustrate  the  power  of  christian  principle,  and  the 
influence  of  Divine  grace,  to  which  he  ascribed 
whatever  he  had  been  enabled  to  efiect  for  the  glory 
of  God.  Dr.  Morrison  and  his  family,  having  bid 
adieu  to  esteemed  friends  and  relatives — ^many  of 
whom  they  were  to  meet  no  more  on  earth,  em- 
barked for  China,  on  the  1st  of  May,  1826;  and 
with  a  favourable  wind  reached  the  beautiful  Island 
of  Madeira  about  the  12th.  Here  they  were  de- 
lighted to  land  for  a  few  hours,  and  enjoy  a  respite 
from  indisposition,  which  distressed  the  whole  party, 
more  or  less.  According  to  his  usual  habit  of  con- 
formity to  present  circumstances,  Dr.  Morrison  soon 
established  a  routine  of  study  and  recreation,  which 
continued  during  the  voyage,  with  only  occasional 
interruption  from  passing  occurrences,  some  of  which 
are  briefly  noticed  in  the  following  letters. 

"  H.  C.  Ship  Orwell,  South  lat.  10  deg.  East  long.  105  deg. 

August  2nd,  1826. 
•  •  •  •  • 

"  On  the  2nd  July  last,  being  in  S.  L.  36^  15', 
E.  L.  20^  30',  I  wrote  to  you  by  the  Sarah,  Captain 
Hill,  a  south  sea  whaler  from  the  coast  of  Japan, 
bound  to  London.     In  that  letter  I  informed  you  of 


so 


DESCRlBma   THE   VOYAGE. 


I 


our  having  spoken  the  Alexander,  with  the  Madagas- 
car Missionaries  on  hoard :  of  our  main-top  heing 
found  rotten  otF  the  coast  of  South  America :  of 
our  danger  from  fire,  during  a  heavy  gale  from  the 
N.W.  on  the  night  of  the  30th  of  June ;  and  of  our 
Laving  broken  the  fore-yard  in  the  midst  of  terrible 
lightning  and  squalls,  on  the  night  of  July  6th.  Our 
circumstances  were  serious  and  alarming,  but  we  were 
enabled  to  possess  our  souls  in  patience  and  hope — not 
insensible  of  our  danger,  nor  careless,  nor  affrighted ; 
but  calm  and  resigned  to  our  heavenly  Father's  will. 

"  We  continued  in  high  latitudes  from  38°  to  within 
a  few  miles  of  40"  south,  till  July  the  15th,  when 
we  passed,  about  daylight  in  the  morning,  the  islands 
of  St.  Paul's  and  Amsterdam.  During  the  whole  of 
our  making  east,  the  ship  rolled  distressingly  night 
and  day.  On  the  18th  of  July  we  got  up  a  new 
fore-yard,  instead  of  that  which  was  carried  away  on 
the  Gth,  and  began  to  go  slowly  to  the  northward. 

"  On  Monday,  the  24th  instant,  about  half-past 
two,  P.M.,  whilst  reading  in  the  cabin  with  Mrs.  Mor- 
rison and  the  children,  I  heard  in  the  cuddy  the  clash- 
ing 'of  swords,  and  noise  of  fire  arms,  which  I  sup- 
posed were  brought  out  to  be  put  in  order  for  the 
Straits  of  Sunda  and  Java  seas,  which  are  infested 
with  piratical  Malays ;  and  I  eat  still  for  some  time. 
However,  in  stepping  out,  as  dinner-time  approached, 
I  found  the  cuddy  all  ui  confusion,  occasioned  by 
persons  busily  employed  in  loading  pistols  with  powder 
and  ball.  A  mutiny  had  broken  out  in  the  fore-part 
of  the  ship,  and  preparations  were  making  to  reduce 
the  mutineers  by  force.  I  returned  to  Mrs.  Morrison 
and  told  her  the  facts;  for  I  never  practise  the  cou- 
ce&tment  of  danger  or  of  distress. 

"I  will  not  enter  into  all  the  detail  of  circumstances 


348  MUTINY   ON   BOARD   TH£   ORWELL.  [1826. 

which  led  to  this  most  distressing  occurrence ;  the 
men  alleged  that  they  had  grieyances,  harsh  usage^ 
and  tyranny,  to  complain  of;  and  some  bad  spirits 
availed  themselves  of  these  complaints,  and  enticed  a 
few  to  take  an  oath  on  the  Bible  to  stand  by  each  other, 
to  resist  oppression,  as  they  said :  but  probably  with  a 
final  intention  to  murder  the  officers,  and  seize  the 
ship  ;  for,  one  of  the  mutineers  has  confessed,  that  the 
first  pistol  that  should  be  fired  towards  them,  should 
be  the  signal  for  every  man  to  draw  his  knife  and 
rush  on  the  officers.  They  talked  also  of  turning  aft 
two  of  the  great  guns  and  firing  upon  us ;  those  that 
were  not  murdered,  were  to  be  sold  to  the  Malays  as 
slaves. 

'^  A  sort  of  parley  and  preparations  for  conflict  went 
on  till  about  five  o'clock.  The  loaded  pistols,  ammu- 
nition, &c.,  were  huddled  together  in  the  captain's 
cabin  adjoining  our's,  by  which  we  were  in  as  much 
danger  by  accident  as  from  design.  Early  in  the  day 
one  of  the  pistols  went  ofi*,  agitated  by  the  roll  of  the 
ship,  and  sent  a  ball  through  the  upper  works.  And  in 
the  midst  of  a  consultation  in  the  cuddy,  to  which  I 
was  called  with  the  captain  and  officers,  before  pro- 
ceeding to  the  last  extremity,  two  pistols  went  ofi*, 
and  completely  shattered  to  splinters  the  bones  of  the 
gunner's  foot,  which  has  since  been  amputated,  at  the 
risk  of  his  life,  in  this  hot  climate.  Before  proceeding 
to  extremities,  I  went,  with  the  captain's  permission, 
to  the  forecastle  among  the  mutineers  to  reason  with 
them ;  and  I  succeeded  in  persuading  them  to  obey 
orders  to  work  the  ship.  They  left  the  forecastle, 
and  were  going  to  their  duty,  when  one  of  the  ring- 
leaders held  an  iron  weapon  in  a  threatening  attitude 
before  the  chief  officer's  face ;  he  was  immediately  seized, 
tied  up,  and  fiogged;  and  the  mutineers  being  sepa- 


I 


1826.]  OCCURHENCES   OF   THE    VOYAGE.  349 

rated,  did  not  venture  a  forcible  rescne,  bat  three,  who 
returned  to  assist  their  companion,  shared  the  same 
fate,  and  others  were  put  in  irons.  Two  of  theae 
men  are  placed  over  our  heads,  and  we  hear  the 
creaking  of  their  irons  night  and  daj.  There  have 
been  in  some  minds,  serious  apprehensions  that  ano- 
ther rising  would  take  place,  but  thus  far  we  are 
Btill  in  peace.  It  was  generally  acknowledged  that 
my  reasoning  with  the  men  prevented  the  shedding  of 
blood.         *         #         » 

"  The  gunner  has  been  awakened  to  the  most  se- 
rious concern  for  the  salvation  of  his  soul,  and  is,  I 
hope,  a  true  penitent.  I  have  visited,  prayed  with, 
and  read  good  books  to  him  daily,  at  his  own  desire. 
He  has  seen  many  wicked  companions  cut  off  in  their 
sins ;  and  although  be  has  lost  a  leg,  blesses  God  that 
he  was  not  shot  dead  on  the  spot.  The  blessed  Sa- 
viour's free  and  full  salvation  '  without  works '  has  af- 
forded peace  to  his  mind."         •         •         • 

FROM  DR.  MORRISON  TO  W.  A.  HANKEY.  ESQ. 

H.  C.  Ship  OrweU,  Straits  of  Sunda, 

Augiut  7tb,  1826. 
"  My  Dear.  Friend, 
*'  To-morrow  will  make  one  hundred  days  since  we 
embarked  on  board  this  ship  at  Gravesend.  Mrs. 
Morrison  and  thechildren  have,  atdifferent  times,  heeii 
a  good  dealindisposed }  and  I  was,  under  a  vertical  sun, 
affected  a  little  in  the  same  way  as  during  the  last  sum- 
mer in  Hackney.  Still,  on  the  whole,  our  general 
health  has  not  materially  suffered  ;  the  infant  in  teeth- 
ing, and  without  milk  of  kine,  (for  our  milch  cow  was 
tossed  to  death  by  the  rolling  of  the  ship,)  baa  suf- 
fered most.     His  nurse  too  has  been  frequently  un- 


350  OCCURRENCES   OF   THE    VOYAGE.  [1826. 

well.  But  our  minds  were  prepared  for  such  things 
when  we  left  you :  we  do  not  repine.  The  object  of 
our  voyage — the  communication  of  the  Gospel  of 
Christ  to  the  heathen,  is  worthy  of  suffering  and  dy- 
ing for.  From  the  elements  we  have  had  to  endure  con- 
siderable difficulties.  The  high  seas  off  the  Cape,  and 
4own  as  far  as  a  hundred  degrees  east,  in  the  latitude 
of  39i%  shook  our  stately  ship  alarmingly,  and  carried 
away  some  of  our  largest  spars.  We  are  now  in 
smooth  seas,  but  to  the  leeward  of  our  port,  Anjier 
roads,  and  have  not  advanced  to  it  more  than  about 
twenty  miles  the  last  three  days.  But  neither  our 
personal  indisposition,  nor  the  violence  of  the  tempest, 
has  given  our  minds,  so  much  uneasiness  as  the  wick- 
edness of  some  of  those  around  us.  Our  people  in 
authority  were  too  fond  of  punishments — ^the  seamen 
rebelled  and  mutinied ;  our  lives  were  in  danger  from  the 
violence  of  the  two  conflicting  parties ;  and  our  hearts 
pained  by  the  accidents  and  floggings  that  ensued. 
Our  gunner  had  his  foot  shot  through  with  two  pistol 
balls,  in  the  cabin  adjoining  our's,  and  his  life  is  still 
in  danger,  after  having  had  his  leg  amputated.  Mrs. 
Morrison  and  the  children,  who  shed  no  tears  for  their 
own  safety  in  the  most  perilous  gales,  when  our  bark 
reeled  on  the  billows  like  a  drunken  man,  wept  when 
they  heard  the  screams  of  the  men  subjected  to  the 
cutting  lash.  And  last  night  our  souls  were  lacerated 
by  two  of  the  prisoners,  confined  in  irons  over  our 
heads,  having  succeeded  in  disentangling  themselves, 
and  casting  themselves  on  .the  life  buoy  into  the 
sea,  with  the  hope  of  reaching  the  Sumatran  shore. 
But  they  were,  I  suppose,  twenty  miles  from  it ;  and 
if  they  do  reach  it,  are  likely  to  perish  among 
the  thick  jungle,  or  by  the  JKris  of  the  Malays : 
they  hailed  us,  as  if  frightened,  when  they  fell  into 


ARRIVAL    AT    ANJIE1 


pie  sea ;  but  after  the  first  cry  were   never  seen  or 
heard  more. 

"These  ships,  from  giving  very  low  wages,  are 
manned  with  some  of  the  refuse  of  sailors,  and  profli- 
I  gate  landsmen  ;  and  some  of  them  are  governed  by 
tyrannical  profligate  officers.  They  load  the  men 
with  abuse  and  curses ;  the  sailors  sometimes  reply ; 
altercation  ensues;  and  it  is  construed  into  disrespect 
to  their  officers,  and  floggings,  by  the  dozen,  follow. — 
Oh,  for  the  prevalence  of  the  blessed  Gospel,  to  tame 
and  humanize  savage  malevolent  man — for  the  peace 
of  this  world,  as  well  as  for  the  happiness  of  the  next. 
"  We  are  now  very  near  our  brethren  at  Java,  Sin- 
gapore, and  Malacca.  I  have  written  letteis  to  them 
all.  I  am  not  indifferent  to  the  welfare  of  the  Malay 
Mission  ;  but  think  it  right  to  devote  all  my  strength 
and  resources  to  the  Chinese,  because  they  are,  on 
the  whole,  very  feeble,  and  would  be  utterly  powerless, 
if  divided.  My  judgment  is  in  favour  of  Mission- 
aries to  any  given  people,  confining  their  labours  to 
that  people,  as  long,  at  least,  as  the  number  of  la- 
bourers are  so  few.  I  should  be  glad  that  the  Malay 
,  Missionaries  should  confine  their  labours  and  resources 
I  the  Malays.  We  have  never  desisted  from  our  re- 
Jigious  exercises  on  board.  The  gunner  seems  brought 
•  true  repentance.  Oh,  may  the  Holy  Spirit  give 
lower  and  efficacy  to  the  word!     Farewell. 

'*  R.   MoRHISON. 


"August  10. — We  have  arrived  safely  at  Anjier 
Hoads,  and  have  seen  Medhurst,  who  proposed  a  Mis- 
eionary  tour  to  Borneo  and  Siam,  of  which  I  have 
approved :  he  is  in  tolerable  health,  but  somewhat 
Repressed    from  tlie    idea  that    he  has  *  laboured  in 


352  OCCURRBNCES   OF   THE   YOYAQE.  [1826. 

vaiu/  We  are  likely  to  go  to  Singapore,  which  will, 
I  fear,  make  us  too  late  for  a  favourable  voyage  up 
the  China  sea/' 

The  Missionary  voyage  referred  to  in  the  preceding 
paragraph,  was  afterwards  relinquished  in  consequence 
of  some  domestic  affliction. 

"  Ship  Orwell,  on  the  Line,  E.  Long.  107*. 
♦  ♦  ♦  *  August  18,  1826. 

"  By  the  care  of  Divine  Providence,  we  have  been 
preserved  amidst  the  dangers  of  the  sea,  and  the  vio- 
lence of  wicked  men,  and  brought  in  safety  to  this 
distant  region.  On  the  8th  inst.,  for  the  first  time 
since  we  left  the  British  shores,  we  let  go  our  anchor. 
The  place  was  Anjier  in  the  Straits  of  Sunda.  Whilst 
in  the  high  Southern  latitudes,  from  38**  to  40®  S.  we 
had  a  tremendously  high  sea,  and  a  heavy  rolling 
ship,  which  kept  us  in  continual  alarm  and  discom- 
fort. We  lost  some  masts  and  spars,  and  rolled  some 
things  loose  in  the  gun-deck,  and  elsewhere,  which 
occasioned  considerable  danger  the  first  night  it  oc- 
curred; for  oil  and  turpentine  vessels  were  broken, 
and  an  alarm  of  fire  created.  After  we  had  gotten  into 
milder  regions,  and  were  approaching  Java  head,  a 
mutiny  broke  out  in  the  ship,  which  threatened  de- 
struction in  a  form  not  less  distressing  than  the  tem- 
pest." 

•  *  *  "  In  the  midst  of  all  our  discomfort,  we 
have  had  public  worship  on  Sundays ;  and  morning 
and  evening  prayers  every  day.  The  wounded  gunner 
has,  since  his  accident,  evinced  serious  repentance.  I 
have  left  at  Java  letters  for  the  Missionary  Society, 

and  H y  with  detailed  accounts  of  our  voyage.  At 

Anjier,  Mrs.  Morrison  first  set  her  foot  on  Asiatic 
ground  ;  and  visited  the  huts  and  houses  of  the  Malay 
and  Dutch  inhabitants.     The  little  canoes  of  the  poor 


teae.j 


INTERVIEW  WITH  MR.   MEDHURST. 


353 


a  surrounding  our  ship,  with  poultry  and  spar- 
yams,  cocoa-nuts,  raoukeys,  &c.  &e.,  for  sale, 
was  a  novel,  and  from  the  apparent  poverty  of  tlie 
Jialf-naked  Malaya,  not  a  very  pleasing  spectacle. 
Aujier  abounds  with  turtle.      #       »       * 

*  ♦  «  "  Medhurst,  the  Chinese  Missionary  in 
Java,  was  waiting  at  Aujier  to  see  me  ;  Ids  family  re- 
sides at  about  eighty  mites  from  thence.  He  practises 
chiefly  speaking  about  Jesus,  to  Chinese,  and  Malays, 
from  house  to  house ;  but  he  mourns  over  the  hard- 
ness of  their  hearts.  They  will  not  come  to  Christ, 
that  they  raay  have  life.  I  have  approved  of  his  taking 
a  tour  among  the  Chinese  settlers  on  Borneo,  Banca, 
and  at  Siam,  during  the  year  1827.  •  *  •  Our  Col- 
lege, Clunie,  remains  at  Malacca,  by  the  latest  reports. 
We  are  going  to  call  at  Singapore,  and  I  hope  to  give 
you  more  information,  after  I  reach  China."  •    *  « 

In   the    above  brief   recital  of  the  painful  occur- 
rences of  the  voyage,  the  writer  but  slightly  notices 
the  effect  his  own  influence  bad  in  averting  the  threat- 
ened calamity.     The  mutineers  liad  refused  to  accept 
any  conditions  but  those  proposed  by  themselves;  they 
«lefied   threats ;    the  gunner  was  disabled,  and  they 
were  the  strongest,  and  most  numerous  party.      The 
period  of  deliberation  granted  them  had  expired.  Tlie 
most  dreadful  apprehensions  were  entertained  by  the 
passengers,  consisting,  besides  Dr.  Morrison's  family, 
of  a  military  officer  and  his  wife,   who  always  spent 
their    evenings   in  his  cabin,  and  were  there  on  the 
present  occasion.     With  a  full  impression  of  the  awful 
^^rcumstances  in  which  they  were  placed,  Dr.  Morrison 
^■juititained  his  usual  composure  and  self-possession, 
^^mich,  in   times  of  difficulty  and  danger,  were  cal- 
culated to  inspire  those  around   him  with  a  portion 
of  Ilia    fortitude.     In  tliis  moment  of  suspense,  the 
Vol.  II.  2  a 


354  ARRIVAL  AT  SINGAPORE.  [1826. 

chief  officer  entered  with  a  request  from  the  captain, 
that  Dr.  Morrison  would  go  to  the  fore-part  of  the 
ship,  where  the  mutineers  were   assembled,  and  try 
what  could  be  effected  by  reason  :  to  this  proposal  he 
immediately  assented,  notwithstanding  the  entreaties 
of  his  family  to  the  contrary ;  but  their  fears  on  his 
account  were  happily  groundless ;  for  as  he  intrepidly 
approached   the  exasperated  party,  they  evinced  no 
hostile  disposition  towards  him,  but  listened  with  the 
greatest  respect  and  attention,  when  he  stated  his  ob<* 
ject  in  going  to  them,  and  while  he  expostulated  with 
them  on  the  folly  and  unreasonableness  of  their  pro- 
ceedings :  he  then  appealed  to  their  better  feelings, 
and  urged  them  to  return  to  their  duty ;  and  he  had 
the  satisfaction  to  see  all  go   off  peaceably  to  their 
work,  except  the  ringleader,  who,  as  already  stated, 
was  seized,  with  two  or  three  others  who  went  to  his 
assistance,  and  were  punished,  though  contrary  to  the 
promise  Dr.  Morrison  had  been  authorized  to  make 
them,  which  very  much  disconcerted  him;   but  he 
prudently  refrained  from  any  remonstrance   on  the 
subject,  never  deeming  it  advisable  for  passengers  to  in- 
terfere with  the  mant^ement  or  discipline  of  the  ship. 
This  prudent  forbearance,  in  connexion  with  his  un- 
obtrusive efforts  to  promote  the  best  interests  of  those 
around  him,  was  not  unattended  with  benefit  to  some, 
while  it  insured  to  himself  the  esteem  and  respect  of 
all  parties. 

On  the  20th  of  August,  the  Orwell  anchored  in  the 
straits  of  Singapore ;  and  Dr.  Morrison's  family  were 
conducted  to  the  residence  of  Captain  Flint,  of  the 
Royal  Navy,  brother-in-law  to  the  late  govemorj 
Sir  Stamford  Raffles :  here  they  were  most  kindly  re- 
ceived, and  they  continued,  for  about  a  fortnight,  en- 
joying the  agreeable  change  afforded  from  the  con- 


r 


182C.]  STATE   OF   THE    INSnTOTION.  366 

finement  of  tlie  precediug  four  months.  This  visit  to 
Singapore  also  gave  Dr.  Morrison  an  opportunity  of 
ascertaining,  by  personal  observation,  how  far  his 
own,  and  Sir  Stamford  Raffles'  plans  were  likely  to  be 
realized;  and  the  result  was  most  unsatisfactory.  A 
large  proportion  of  the  funds  had  been  expended  in 
erecting  the  Institution  building,  which  was  not  half 
finished ;  while  the  Malay  Professor  was  receiving 
his  salary,  without  having  entered  on  the  duties  of 
his  office  !  A  grant  of  land,  which  had  been  made  by 
the  late  governor  to  Dr.  Morrison,  and  on  the  cultiva- 
rion  of  which,  he  had  laid  out  a  large  sum  of  money, 
was  also  neglected  by  the  agent  who  had  been  en- 
trusted with  the  management  of  it.  The  Chinese  set- 
tlers were  allowed  to  re-open  the  gambling-houses, 
which  had  been  prohibited  by  Sir  Stamford ;  and 
every  thing  wore  a  discouraging  aspect  in  the  moral 
atmosphere  of  this  interesting  settlement,  on  which 
nature  lavished  perpetual  verdure  and  salubrity. 
Previously  to  leaving  Singapore,  Dr.  Morrison  made 
arrangements  for  carrying  forward  the  plans  contem. 
plated^by  Sir  Stamford  and  himself.  He  secured  the 
assistance  of  the  chaplain,  the  Rev.  Robert  Burn,  who 
by  his  talents  and  piety,  was  well  qualified  for  this  im- 
portant object.  He  became  one  of  the  trustees  of  the 
Institution,  and  entered  with  zeal  into  the  views  of  the 
founders  for  its  success.  Dr.  Morrison  also  purchased, 
at  his  own  expense,  some  land  which  was  contiguous 
to  that  part  of  the  town  occupied  by  the  Chinese  set- 
tlers, in  order  to  secure  an  adA'antageous  station  for  the 
Mission.  Tlie  following  brief  noticesofthie  visit,  in  Dr. 
Morrison's  memoranda,  are  all  that  appear  on  record. 
— "  August  23rd.  Arrived  at  Mount  Sophia,  the  beau- 
tiful residence  of  Captain  Flint.  25th.  Visited  *  Glen 
Morrison,' — met  the  trustees  of  the  Singapore  Instltu- 
2  a2 


356  ABRIYAL   IN   CHINA.  [1826. 

tion— delivered  six  thousand  ounces  of  silver  to  John- 
ston &  Co.  27th.  Attended  the  Malayan  chapel, 
Mr.  Bum  preached.  Greatly  gratified,  and  edified. 
29th,  Meeting  of  the  Institution-— conference  with 
Mr.  Thompson.  Sept.  1st.  We  dined  at  Napier's  with 
Sir  Ralph  Rice,  &c.  2nd.  Meeting  at  the  Institu- 
tion. 3rd.  Preached  in  the  Malay  chapel,  for  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Bum.  5th.  Met  the  Malayan  trustees  for 
the  College  —  Evening,  emharked  on  Board  the 
Orwell,  Messrs.  Presgrave,  Flint,  &c.,  accompanied 
us  to  the  shore.  Tuesday,  Sept.  19th.  Landed  at 
Macao,  God  be  praised  r 

Dr.  Morrison  had  as  little  reason  to  be  satisfied  with 
those  who  had  the  chaise  of  his  property  in  China, 
as  at  Singapore.  He  found  his  house  and  furniture 
in  such  a  state  of  delapidation,  as  to  render  it  neces- 
sary for  the  former  to  undei^o  a  thorough  repair,  and 
the  latter,  to  be  entirely  renewed.  His  books  also  were 
nearly  destroyed  by  the  white  ants,  and  other  insects 
peculiar  to  Asiatic  climates.  Having  made  arrange- 
ments for  the  comfort  of  his  family,  he  accompanied 
the  other  members  of  the  factory  to  Canton,  in  the 
beginning  of  October,  to  'enter  upon  the  various  avo- 
cations, of  a  religious  and  secular  nature,  which  there 
awaited  him. 

By  the  first  ship  that  was  despatched  for  England, 
after  his  arrival.  Dr.  Morrison  communicated  the  fol- 
lowing information  reapecting  the  state  of  the  Mis- 
sion, to  the  treasurer  of  the  London  Missionary  So- 
ciety, and  other  correspondents. 

"  My  Dear  Sm,         "  Canton,  China,  Oct.  24, 1826. 

"  Being  spared  by  the  Divine  mercy,  and  preserved 
by  the  power  of  our  Lord,  I  am  in  this  distant  coun- 


r 


I 


18'26.]  INTERVIEW-    WITH    LEANG-APA.  357 

try  again,  seated  in  the  same  room,  and  at  the  aame 
table,  from  which,  during  a  long  period  of  years,  I 
fonnerly  addressed  you.  God  graciously  supported 
all  the  members  of  my  beloved  family  and  myself, 
amidst  the  dangers  of  the  sea,  and  the  tumults  of  the 
people.  Of  the  circumstances  of  our  voy^e  I  have 
already  written  to  you. 

"  On  the  6th  of  September  we  left  Singapore,  and 
on  the  evening  of  Tuesday  the  19th,  landed  at  Macao. 
All  my  former  native  domestics,  and  my  old  Chinese 
teacher,  were  waiting  to  receive  us.  The  next  day 
the  native  christian  Leang-afa,  made  his  appearance ; 
and  in  social  prayer  we  returned  thanks  to  God  our 
Saviour  for  his  kind  preservation  of  our  lives,  and  that 
our  minds  were  still  kept  looking  to  Jesus.  The  fol- 
lowing Sabbath  I  recommenced  the  religious  services 
in  which  we  were  formerly  used  to  engage. 

"  Afa*  presented  me  with  a  small  Chinese  volume, 
containing  explanatory  notes  on  the  Book  of  He- 
brews, which  he  had  composed  during  my  absence. 
It  is  designed  to  communicate  to  Pt^ans  those  views 
of  religion  which  he  derived  from^the  late  lamented 
Milne.  I  have  read  a  part  of  it,  and,  considering  the 
few  advantages  Ala  has  had,  the  work  evinces  that 
he  has  made  the  Bible  his  study,  although  some 
parts  of  his  composition  receive  a  shade  of  colour,  in 
the  phraseology,  from  his  recent  paganism.  . 

"  He  wrote  also  a  small  Essay  in  favour  of  the 
christian  religion,  which  he  entitled,  '  The  true  Prin- 
ciples of  the  World's  salvation:'  in  which  he  asserts 
the  charact<^r  of  the  Eternal  God  the  Creator  of  the 
universe,  in  opposition  to  demons  and  false  gods :  he 
inculcates  the  necessity  of  a  Saviour  from  the  dominion 

•  ARl  is  Lenng-aR  abbrevinled. 


358  afa's  conversations  on  [1826, 

of  sin,  and  from  the  punishment  of  guilt ;  he  declares, 
that  Jesus  has  made  an  atonement  for  the  sins  of  men, 
and  points  his  countrymen  to  the  Bible,  which  Euro- 
pean christians  have,  he  says,  at  large  expense,  caused 
to  be  translated  into  Chinese,  printed,  and  given  to 
the  people.         #         *         *         * 

"  He  also  wrote  a  short  account  of  several  conver- 
sations he  had  with  his  countrymen,  on  the  subject 
of  religion.  One  conversation  took  place  in  a  passt^e- 
boat :  A^  happened  to  be  reading  the  Evangelist  Mark. 
A  fellow-passenger  took  up  the  book  and  cast  his  eyes 
on  the  9th  chap.  9th  yerse,  where  these  words  are 
found,  *  Till  the  Son  of  Man  be  risen  from  the  dead :' 
the  enquirer  asked,  ^  What  the  rising  from  the  dead 
meant  t '  Afa  declared  the  death  and  resurrection  of 
Jesus  to  make  atonement  for  the  sins  of  men ;  con- 
fessed his  own  faith,  and  preached  salvation  to  all  them 
that  believe  the  Divine  testimony  contained  in  the 
Holy  Scriptures.  He  spoke  also  of  the^^benevolent 
miracles  of  Jesus.  His  companion  scoffingly  asked 
if  he  had  seen  these  miracles  with  his  own  eyes  t  His 
answer  was,  ^  No ;  but  they  are  related  in  the  sacred 
books,  which  were  published  in  the  land  of  Judea, 
situated  in  the  western  world,  and  many  nations  be- 
lieved them  to  be  true.' 

"  Have  you  never  read,  said  his  opponent,  what  the 
ancient  philosopher  M&ngtsze  said,  ^  It  would  be  better 
for  mankind  to  have  no  books,  than  to  believe  every 
thing  contained  in  books.'  Although  the  western  na- 
tions believe  these  books,  it  is  not  necessary  that  we 
Chinese  should  believe  them.  Do  you  believe  1 '  Tc 
this  Leang-afa  replied :  ^  Although  I  never  saw  the 
things  recorded,  I  most  firmly  believe  the  principles  and 
doctrines  contained  in  the  Bible.  I  know  that  I  have 
been  a  very  wicked  man  ;  and,  if  there  be  no^Saviour  tc 


1826.]  THE   CUHISTIAN    RBLIQION.  359 

make  atonement  for  sin,  it  would  be  impossible  for  me, 
either  in  this  life,  or  in  that  to  come,  to  escape  the 
righteous  juc^ment  of  God,  &c.' " 

"  •  •  "  Nov.  5th. — I  have  now  around  me  the 
same  people  that  I  formerly  had;  others,  not  in  my 
employ  now,  still  come  to  my  Scripture -reading,  and 
exhortation  on  Sundays.  He  who  first  assisted  me  in 
writing  out  the  New  Testament  for  the  press,  acknow- 
ledges that  his  convictions  of  the  truth  are  deepened  ; 
and  in  other  cases,  I  hope,  the  seed  of  the  word  has 
been  growing  in  the  hearts  of  those  who  heard  it.  In 
a  land  like  this,  full  of  idols,  and  crowded  with  idola- 
ters, where  persecution  is  carried  on  fi'ora  the  throne  to 
the  cottage,  against  the  disciples  of  Jesus,  we  must  not 
be  surprised  if  many  resemble  Nicodemus  ;  or  be  what 
the  church-historian  Milner  has  called  '  pagan-chris- 
tians,' — i.  e.  christians  of  imperfect  knowledge,  and 
a  timid,  or  rather  concealed  profession.     •    •    • 

"  The  gentlemen  of  the  Factory  here  have,  as  an 
act  of  personal  kindness  to  me,  made  an  unsolicited 
subscription  for  the  College ;  two  of  my  former  friends 
have  given  a  hundred  pounds  each.  These  benevo- 
lent aids  increase  the  weight  of  respousibihty  which  I 
feel  lyit^  heavy  on  me. 

•  •  •  "  I  am  again  sitting  at  the  same  table,  in 
the  aame  room,  from  which  I  addressed  you  many 
years  successively. 

"  During  my  absence,  I  think  the  influence  of  Di- 
vine truth  on  the  minds  of  those  who  formerly  heard 
me,  has  deepened.  But  the  appearance  of  Christianity 
in  a  country  where  it  is  hated  and  persecuted,  iu  fa- 
milies and  neighbourhoods,  courts  and  palaces,  must  be 
very  different  from  its  appearance  in  a  country,  where 
the  utmost  freedom  of  religious  profession  is  eujoyed, 


I 

y 

r 

360  CORR£SPOND£NC£.  [1826 

I 

and  attention  to  it  honoured.  Even  in  Israel  ther( 
were  many,  in  persecuting  days,  unknown  to  eacl 
other  as  true  worshippers,  but  known  to  Him  wb 
{  sees  the  heart. 

^^  China  is  a  good  deal  convulsed  at  present,  chieflj 
by  a  Mahommedan  rebellion  in  western  Tartary. 
think  it  very  likely  the  time  is  nearly  amved,  whei 
the  ruling  dynasty  will  be  shaken  to  pieces.  If  so 
may  it  make  way  for  the  Gospel  to  run  in  a  fre< 
course,  and  be  glorified. 

"  I  have  commenced  my  Conmientary  on  H0I3 
Scripture.  Notes,  explanatory  of  persons,  places,  hi& 
torical  facts,  &c.,  are  very  much  wanted,  to  enable  th< 
heathen  students,  and  also  new  converts,  to  under 
stand  the  Bible  generally. 

"  The  gentlemen  of  the  Factory  have  received  m( 
again  kindly ;  and  have,  unsolicited  by  me,  subscribec 
nearly  five  hundred  pounds  to  the  College,  as  a  marl 
of  regard  to  me,  in  opposition  to  the  court's  frowns 
What  will  be  done  at  the  end  of  my  three  years'  ser 
vice,  should  I  live,  it  is  impossible  to  say.  Manj 
friends,  who  knew  my  labours  in  former  days,  have 
died  off,  or  gone  away. 

**  Our  chaplain  leaves  this  season.  I  long  to  preacl 
to  the  sailors  and  others  ;  but  my  whole  strength  it 
required  for  Chinese.  My  small  property  suflerec 
much  by  neglect,  during  my  absence :  God  help  us 
my  brother,  to  lay  up  treasure  in  heaven." 
'  *  *  *  "  16th. — Canton  presents  to  my  mine 
a  melancholy  blank, — so  many  old  friends,  English  anc 
Chinese,  who  have  either  deserted  this  land,  or  quittec 
for  ever  this  state  of  mortal  existence.  A  year  or  tw< 
more,  and  there  will  not  be  one  member  of  the  Factory 
whom  I  found  here  on  my  first  arrival.  • 


/ 


1826.]  LETTER   TO   THE    BJBLE   SOCIKTY.  361 

"  There  is  a  great  influx  of  new  commercial  agenta, 
especially  for  opium,  that  disreputable  smuggling  com- 
merce. The  sale  of  this  drug,  it  is  said,  has  much 
increased,  and  with  it,  there  is  a  great  increase  of 
crime.  The  Banditti  increase  in  every  province  ;  the 
Meaou-tsze  are  troublesome,  and  the  Mahommedans 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Cashgar,  have  risen  in  open 
rebellion.  The  grand  army  ia  put  in  motion  at 
a  vast  expense.  Formosa  has  been  in  a  state  of 
insurrection  for  some  months  past.  Canton  has  voted 
one  million,  two  hundred  thousand  taels,  towards  the 
expenses  of  the  wars,  of  which  the  Hong  merchants 
have  subscribed  half. 

"  The  avenger  of  blood,  the  son  of  the  man  slain 
at  Lintin,  still  cries  for  vengeance,  and  appeals  to  his 
own  government.  They  want  to  be  certified  from 
Knglaud,  that  the  murderers  were  identified,  and  exe- 
cuted. The  ghost  of  this  affray  rose  up  immediately 
on  my  arrival."         •         *         # 

"  Mrs.  Morrison  and  our  children  are  in  tolerably 
good  health.  Johnny  is  in  Canton  with  me,  learning 
Chinese. 

'*  I  remain,  my  dear  Sir,  your's  very  sincerely, 
"  Robert  Mobrisok." 


TO  Tim  CHAIRMAN  AND  COMMITTEE  OF  THE  BRITISH  AND 
FOREIGN  BIBLE  SOCIETY. 

"  Gentlemen,  Canton,  Nov,  7th,  1826. 

"  Having  been  heretofore  honoured  by  your  patro- 
nage, in  connection  with  my  late  lamented  colleague, 
Dr.  Milne,  in  our  endeavours  to  translate  the  Holy 
Scriptures  into  Chinese;  1  take  the  liberty  of  address- 
ing you,  on  my  return  to  this  country. 

"  The  distribution  of  the  Scriptures  has  been  car- 


362  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1826. 

ried  on  by  my  friends  at  the  Anglo-Chinese  College 
i  in  Malacca,  where  also  the  printing  of  them  is  super- 

j  intended,  during  my  absence.     And  in  pursuance  of 

I  the  discretion  you  were  pleased  to  rest  in  me,  I  have 

recommended  a  tour  to  Borneo,  Rhio,  Siam,  &c.,  for 
the  purpose  of  circulating  the  Holy  Scriptures,  to  be 
performed  by  the  Rev.  W.  H.  Medhurst,  whom  I  saw 
j  in  Java,  as  I  passed  the  Straits  of  Sunda,  and  who  is 

I  well  qualified  for  this  work,  by  his  knowledge  of  the 

i  Chinese  and  Malayan  languages,  and  his  experience 

among  the  natives.  The  tour  is  to  be  performed  during 
i  the  year  1827.     To  supply  him  with  Bibles  and  Tes- 

taments, I  have  sent  down  to  the  College  paper  and 
printing  materials,  to  Messrs.  Humphreys  and  Collie, 
to  have  a  sufficient  number  printed. 

^^  I  make  it  my  daily  study  to  find  out  and  correct 
the  Chinese  version  of  the  Scriptures ;  and  my  bre- 
thren of  the  Ultra  Ganges  Mission,  are  requested  to 
note  down  whatever  may  occur  to  them  as  an  error,  or 
imperfection  in  the  translation.  These  are  sent  to  the 
College  and  preserved,  or  immediately  employed,  as 
may  appear  best. 

'  "  The  Society  will  not,  I  hope,  be  discouraged  in 

their  labours  by  the  common  objections  made  to  trans- 
lations into  pagan  languages.  To  a  pagan,  unac- 
quainted with  Jewish  antiquities,  European  ancient 
history,  and  christian  doctrine,  and  who  casually 
\  reads  a  pj^e  or  two  of  Holy  Scripture,  there  must 

I  be  much   that  he  cannot  understand.      But  I  have 

^  '       evidence,  that  to  such   a    reader,  there  is  much  in 

Holy  Scripture  that  he  can  understand.  When  I  left 
China,  I  presented  to  the  superior  of  a  large  Budh 
temple,  containing  two  hundred  priests,  a  copy  of  the 
Bible,  and  a  Chinese  version  of  the  English  Prayers 
for  morning  and  evening  worship.     I  have  seen  him 


I 

I 


3.] 


LETTER   TO   THE   TRACT   SOCIETY. 


eince  my  return.  He  has  read  in  these  books,  and 
praised  them  to  me.  A  native  christian,  converted  to 
the  faith,  by  the  late  Dr.  Milne,  has  shown  the  sacred 
writings  to  many  persons— some  learned  graduates — 
and  they  have  read  awhile,  saying,  there  is  in  that 
book  mueJi  that  is  easy  to  understand  ;  there  are  in- 
verted phrases — and  there  are  parts  that  I  don't  un- 
derstand the  subject  treated  of.  The  native  christian 
says  the  same — but  he  has  read  the  whole  several 
times,  and  finds  that  the  connection  of  the  Old  aud 
New  Testaments  reciprocally  elucidate  each  other. 
The  careless,  profligate,  and  proud,  in  every  land,  will 
despise  the  Bible.  But  the  enquiring  mind,  the  anx- 
ious spirit,  the  young  convert,  and  the  aged  chris- 
tian, will  esteem  it  as  a  'pearl  of  great  price.'  "With 
it,  may  it  be  your  happiness  to  enrich  all  nations. 
Farewell !  "  Your  obedient  servant, 

*'  Robert  Morrison. 


'  Oehtlemen, 


"  Canton,  China,  Nov.  7th,  1826. 


•  •  •  "  Thousands  of  religioua  trai^ts,  contain- 
i:^  the  words  of  eternal  life,  have  been  sent  forth 
among  the  Pagans  and  Mahommedans  of  Eastern- 
Asia,  by  the  assistance  afforded  by  your  Society.  But 
the  seed  sown  by  thia  means,  and  all  the  other  means 
which  have  been  employed,  during  the  last  few  years, 
have  not  amounted  to  more,  in  comparison  of  the  vast 
extent  of  ground  to  be  cultivated,  than  a  handful 
would  be,  if  cast  on  the  mountains  of  Lebanon.  Let 
ua  water  the  seed  with  prayer  for  the  influence  of 
God's  Holy  Spirit,  and  believe  the  promiae,  '  My 
word  shall  not  return  void,'  saith  Jehovah.  '  The  wil- 


364  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1826. 

demess  shall  rejoice  and  blossom  as  the  rose.'  We, 
the  servants  of  the  churches,  have  gone  forth  from 
you  to  these  lands,  with  tears,  bearing  precious  seed. 
We  may  not  live  to  do  it,  but  future  labourers  shall 
return  rejoicing,  bringing  their  sheaves  with  them. 

"  The  brethren,  in  these  parts,  have  agreed  on  a 
tour  to  distribute  Bibles  and  Tracts,  in  Chinese  and 
Malayan,  among  the  inhabitants  and  traders  on  the 
Island  of  Borneo,  at  Rhio,  Siam,  and  other  places  in 
the  Chinese  Archipelago.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Medhurst, 
who  is  well  acquainted  with  the  Chinese  language, 
and  the  dialects  of  the  settlers  in  the  places  just 
named,  and  who  also  understands  the  Malay  lan- 
guage, has  been,  by  his  own  consent,  fixed  on  to  per- 
form this  work.  He  has  had  about  ten  years'  experi- 
ence in  these  parts  of  the  world,  and  is  well  qualified 
for  the  service.  For  his  use  they  are  preparing  a 
quantity  of  tracts,  formerly  sanctioned  by  your  So- 
ciety ;  and  to  print  them,  I  have  sent  down  Chinese 
paper  and  other  materials.  We  propose  that  the  ex- 
penses of  the  travelling  be  defrayed  by  the  Bible, 
Tract,  and  Missionary  Societies. 

'^Some  of  our  sanguine  and  intemperate  friends 
have  discouraged  us  much,  by  impatience  to  see  the 
fruits  of  our  labours  here.  We  are  not  entirely 
without  fruit ;  but,  indeed,  we  cannot  yet  rejoice  in 
an  abundant  harvest.  Despise  not,  my  brethren,  the 
day  of  small  things.  To  be  able  to  send  abroad  the 
Truths  of  the  Gospel  in  this  vast  Pagan  empire  should 
excite  gratitude  to  God. 

"  Your's  faithfully, 

"  R.  Morrison/' 

Although  Dr.  Morrison  kept  up  a  regular  corres- 
pondence with  various  religious  bodies ;  and  also  with 


»0 


GENKBAL    OBSERVATIONS. 


365 


B18S 

^H  individuals  interested  in  the  extension  of  the  Redeem- 
^f  er's  kingdom,  to  whom  he  transmitted  faithful  state- 
ments of  the  progress  and  results  of  the  various  means 
employed  for  the  diffusion  of  Divine  truth,  among 
professed  christians,  as  well  as  among  the  heathen  ; 
still  in  such  communications,  he  seldom  extended  his 
notices  beyond  the  immediate  subject  of  interest  to 
the  Society,  or  individual,  addressed ;  partly  from  want 
of  time,  but  chiefly  from  that  characteristic  modesty, 
which  led  him  to  avoid  every  thing  like  egotism  or 

I    display,  in  regard  to  his  own  actions ;  it  is  therefore 
presumed,  that  among  persons  generally,  a  very  inad- 
equate  estimate  has  been  formed  of  the  amount  of 
gratuitous  labour  which  he  performed,  in  reference  to 
the  final  object  of  his  Mission.     With  a  view  to  rec- 
tify any  misapprehension  on  this  point,  and  also  to 
bring  to  light  those  shades  of  character,  which  were 
^^    not  discernible  by  remote  or    casual  observers,    the 
^H    writer  felt  it  a  duty  she  owed  to  the  subject  of  these 
^P    Memoirs,  to  furnish,  from  the  private  sources  she  pos- 
sessed, evidence  of  those  excellencies  of   character, 
which  were  only  fully  known    and  appreciated  by 

near  aud  intimate  connexions.     From  these  sources, 

she  had  compiled  a  journal  of  a  lai^e  portion  of  the 
last  ten  years  of  Dr.  Morrison's  life;  but,  as  has  been 
already  stated,  it  is  found  necessary  to  contract  it 
within  a  very  small  compass,  rather  then  extend  the 
work  to  another  volume,  which  the  journal  would  at 
least  occupy  ;  however,  it  is  hoped  that  the  portion  of 
it  here  introduced,  will,  in  some  degree,  answer  the 
end  intended ;  at  least,  it  will  afford  the  reader  a 
glimpse  of  the  peculiar  circumstances  with  which  Dr, 
Morrison  was  daily  conversant ;  the  nature  of  liis  oc- 
cupations aud  studies;  interspersed  with  traits  of  cha- 
,  racter,  anecdotes,    quotations,    and    reflections,   &c.. 


366  CANTON  SEASON.  [1826. 

which  evince  his  solicitude  for  the  well-being    of  all 
around  him. 

It  will  be  remembered,  that  Dr.  Morrison's  official 
duties,  in  connexion  with  the  British  Factory,  as  well 
as  the  affidrs  of  the  Mission,  required  him  to  be  absent 
from  his  family  five  or  six  months  every  year.  From 
the  arrival  of  the  first  of  the  Company's  ships,  in  Au- 
gust, until  the  last  was  despatched  in  February,  or 
March,  all  commercial  afibirs  were  transacted  in  Can- 
ton—during that  period,  ships  were  arriving  from 
every  part  of  the  world — and  bringing  on  passengers, 
letters,  and  visitors,  which  rendered  the  winter  season 
exceedingly  exciting  to  the  foreign  residents,  and 
more  or  less  interesting,  according  to  circumstances. 
Dr.  Morrison's  regular  pursuits  were  greatly  inter- 
rupted by  such  occurrences,  and  his  time  a  good  deal 
occupied  in  transacting  business,  no  way  connected 
vnth  his  own  department.  Canton  being  the  great 
emporium  for  that  part  of  the  East,  friends  in  India, 
and  especially  in  Penang,  Malacca,  and  Singapore, 
annually,  sent  commissions  for  a  variety  of  domestic 
articles,  such  as  furniture,  wearing  apparel,  plate, 
jewellery,  &c.,  &c.,  which  Dr.  Morrison's  disposition 
to  oblige  and  serve,  made  him  vnlling  to  execute — 
though,  as  he  used  to  remark,  he  ^^had  no  great 
tact  in  such  matters,  but  did  the  best  he  could."  In 
the  department  of  Missionary  labour,  it  necessarily 
devolved  on  him,  to  procure  all  the  materials  for  print- 
ing— ^besides  books,  teachers,  workmen,  &c.,  which  in- 
volved him  in  considerable  anxiety ;  as  the  Chinese 
government  prohibits  alike  the  emigration  of  its  sub- 
jects, and  the  exportation  of  Chinese  literature.  He 
was  also  referred  to  by  the  Missionaries  for  advice 
on  subjects  connected  vnth  their  several  stations  ;  and 
for  the  management  of  the  pecuniary  afiairs  of  the 


Vl82G0 


PRIVATE    JOURNAL. 


367 

College,  &c.,  &c.  This  explanation  will  enable  the 
reader  to  understand  several  allusions  in  the  following 
journal,  which  commenced  in  October,  1826. 

«  •  »  •  * 

"Canton,  I6th  October.  1826. 
"  I  find  here  the  same  disregard  of  ray  pecuniary 
aflairs,  that  I  have  had  to  complain  of  at  Malacca  and 
Singapore,  during  my  absence. 

"  I  believe  those  things  which  are  past  must  be 
suffered  ;  and  for  the  future,  I  must  not  trust  others 
so  much  with  my  affairs  in  my  absence  ;  but  wind  up 
every  thing  as  much  as  possible,  whenever  we  may 
have  occasion  to  remove.  All  mankind  are  eager  after 
gain — and  it  is  not  for  me  to  enter  into  any  question 
that  is  disputable  on  such  matters. 

"  A  visit  from  Chung-qua,  the  security  or  Hong- 
merchant,  who  is  a  great  talker,  has  increased  my 
head-ache.  His  father  died  during  my  absence — I 
have  been  interrupted  again  by  another  of  the  mer- 
chants, Mow-qua. 

"  19th. — My  head  aches,  and  my  mind  was  anxious 
in  getting  off  the  Malacca  commissions,  in  which  Afa 
was  concerned ;  there  is  so  much  '  envy  and  malice  '  in 
the  pagan  mind,  one  is  never  sure  of  some  pretext  to 
annoy,  even  when  engaged  in  things  most  innocent. 
Whilst  passing  through  these  necessary  concerns  of 
the  present  life,  may  we  never  omit  a  proper  concern 
about  the  coming  state  of  everlasting  existence.  May 
we  live  for  eternity ! 

"  I  have  written  to  T and  to  T 

pore  ;  and  to  J on  business  ;  toH ,  and  ( 

and  K ,  and  M ,   at  Malacca;  and  to  B , 

at  Penang ;  accompanied  witli  various  bills  of  parcels, 
letters  of  advice,  receipts,  coimsels,  &c.,  &c.  I  have 
said   you   regard  them  all    kindly.     Having  nearly 


368  PRIVATE   JOURNAL.  [1826, 

got  rid  of  the  Malacca  Straits,  letters  &c.y  I  must 
now  turn  my  attention  to  England. 

"  I  have  set  to  my  Commentary  on  the  Holy 
Scriptures  in  Chinese.  I  sometimes  wish  to  be  wholly 
devoted  to  my  spiritual  duties." 

"  21st. — Respecting  an  application  to  the  Court,  I 
have  withdrawn  it.  Finding  my  services  almost  indis- 
pensable, has  been  the  only  reason  for  employing  me 
hitherto ;  and  when  that  ceases,  I  do  not  suppose  I 
shall  be  retained.  I  do  not,  moreover,  think  it  quite 
right  in  me  to  be  a  suppliant  for  secular  employment. 
If  it  come,  well — and  if  it  goes,  well.  Entire  de- 
votedness  to  my  religious  pursuits,  would  be,  in  some 
respects,  better.  Therefore  we  will  leave  our  cause 
with  a  gracious  Providence."        *        *        * 

"  Yesterday  I  sent  oflF  to  you  a  letter.  In  the 
morning,  the  j)acket  of  the  ship.  Lord  Amherst, 
direct  from  England,  arrived.  In  the  Asiatic  Jour- 
nal there  are  several  extracts  from  my  Dictionary : 
Klaproth  is  censured  for  his  abuse  of  Arrowsmith 
the  map-maker,  and  occasion  taken  to  say  a  word 
respectfully  of  me  and  my  labours.       *       *       • 

"  Evening. — All  this  day  I  have  been  writing  a  Chi- 
nese discourse  on  John  xvii.  3.  ^  This  is  eternal  life,'  &c. 
Oh,  that  we  may  increase  every  day  in  the  knowledge 
of  the  only  true  God  and  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour  ! 
Heaven  bless  you ! — I  long  to  see  baby,  and  carry  him 
in  my  amis-^kiss  him  for  me.         •         •         # 

"  Sunday  morning.  John  learns  every  morning  a 
few  verses  out  of  Scripture  Lessons ;  then  we  read 
the  same  in  the  original  language ;  and  next  in  the 
Chinese  Bible ;  after  that  he  reads  a  hymn,  and  we 
pray.  The  verse  for  this  morning  was  Genesis  xxii. 
18,  *  In  thy  seed  shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be 
blessed ;'   i.  e.  in  Jesus :  this  is  our  encouragement, 


1826.] 


CHINESE   BTOaY. 


369 


my  love,  to  use  means.  In  times  of  persecution,  8uch 
as  exist  in  this  country,  experience  does  not  warrant 
us  to  expect  an  open  profession :  several  of  my  people 
would,  I  doubt  not,  under  other  circumstances,  avow 
their  belief  in  the  Gospel — but  they  are  afraid.  *  * 
"  As  to  '  "  "'a  remarks,  they  are  not  of  importance. 
My  most  numerous  and  weighty  engagements  are,  I 
fear,  despised  by  him.  It  ia  difficult  and  not  neces- 
sary to  reply  to  his  scoffing.  Our  religious  object, 
and  my  studies  aud  labours,  are  things  which  the 
world  despise  ;  and  hence  my  secret  labours,  writing 
at  this  table  from  morning  till  night,  are  not  known 
to  exist  by  superficial  and  casual  observers.  •  •  •  • 
indicated  a  superciliousness  of  manner  towards  nie, 
and  therefore  I  am  not  surprised  at  the  conversation 
yon  relate  :  hut  we  have  sources  of  comfort  in  our 
boly  religion,  and  the  love  of  our  Saviour,  which 
should  elevate  us  above  the  world's  neglect,  or  even 
man's  scorn.  Let  us  endure  hardness,  endure  afflic- 
tions, as  good  Missionaries  of  the  churches  of  Christ." 

"  8th. — I  have  been  reading  on  'Beware  of  Covet- 
ousness,'  Luke  xii.  15.  Covetousness,  implies  dis- 
conlentedness :  I  thought  of  preparing  an  English 
sermon  from  these  words ;  but  I  am  afraid  it  may  be 
too  pointedly  applicable  to  those  who  may  be  my 

I  hearers. 

"  1  met  this  morning  with  this  little  Chinese  story  : 
— Hoo-shaou  was  a  very   poor  man,    yet  he  daily 

f  thanked  heaven  for  pure  bliss.     His  wife  said  to  him  ; 
*  We  have  daily  only  three  meals  of  greens,  rice,  and 

I  -water.     What  do  you  call  pure  bliss  V     He  replied  : 
'Happily  we  live  in  times  of  peace,   and  experience 

[  none  of  the  miseries  arising  from  conflicting  armies ; 

I  happily  there  is  nobody  iu  our  family  suffers  from 

I  hunger  aud  cold ;  and  happily  none  of  us  are  laid  on 
Vol.  II.  2  b 


370  PRIVATE   JOURNAL.  [1826. 

a  bed  of  sickness,  nor  immured  in  a  prison ;  if  this 
be  not  pure  bliss,  I  know  not  what  is.'  Though  this 
is  a  pagan  story,  I  think  it,  as  you  will,  a  very  edify- 
ing one ;  we  have  to  thank  heaven  for  all  that  Hoo- 
shaou  had — ^and  a  great  deal  more." 

"  9th. — ^The  birth-day  of  the  empress  of  China — all 
the  officers  of  government,  in  every  province,  put  on 
their  court  dresses,  and  repair  to  the  Imperial  Hall, 
one  of  which  is  found  in  every  provincial  city  ;  there, 
before  a  tablet,  make  the  nine  prostrations,  as  usual 
with  the  Tartar  dynasty,  as  if  her  Imperial  Majesty 
were  present." 

"  10th. — I  have  been  writing  and  fagging  all  day, 
and  am  now  almost  wearied  out — ^but  I  cannot  close 
without  a  word  to  you.  I  sent  you  a  packet  of  let- 
ters from  myself,  Johnny,  and  the  Sandwich  Islands 
to-day :  I  have  not  been  able  to  write  much  in  Chinese 
— ^my  chief  work  stands  still.  Oh,  for  an  entire  de- 
votedness  to  it;  devoted  I  am,  but  the  affairs  of  this 
life,  and  secular  correspondence,  engage  too  much  of 
my  time ;  still  my  letters  are  chiefly  to  those  who  aid 
the  Gospel. 

"  I  have  written  to  Lord  Amherst  and  Lord  Kings- 
borough."        •         •         • 

"  14th. — ^To-day  I  have  set  to  my  great  worhj  (as  I 
shall  consider  it,)  Notes  on  Holy  Scripture  in  Chinese. 
It  required  a  good  deal  of  experiment  and  trial  to  decide 
which  is  the  best  form  of  the  page,  and  how  all  can 
be  brought  most  conveniently  before  the  reader.  I 
left  ofi*  to  translate  a  paper  concerning  the  Lintin 
afiair."        *        •        #        • 

"These  letters  are  so  full  of  mere  chit-chat  and 
local  daily  trifles,  I  fear  you  will  not  find  them  inte- 
resting hereafter.  I  write  much  in  the  hope  of  en- 
livening your  solitude.     Our  situation  requires  the 


1826.]  INUNDATION   IN   HOO-NAN.  371 

exercise  of  religious  principles — faith,  and  hope,  and 
a  constant  regard  to  Divine  Providence.  I  trust  that 
through  the  merits  of  Jesus  the  Son  of  God,  admis- 
sion will  eventually  be  granted  us  to  the  mansions 
He  is  preparing  in  heaven  for  all  his  true  disciples. 
We  are  strangers  and  sojourners  on  earth — we  are  lite- 
rally aliens  in  this  land ;  much  to  be  grateful  for, 
both  to  Providence  and  our  fellow-creatures ;  still  we 
are  not  at  home,  this  is  not  our  rest,  we  look  for  a 
better  country.  The  Lord  bless  you,  my  beloved,  and 
grant  you  always  to  experience  the  consolations  that 
are  in  Christ !  I  am  turning  my  thoughts  and  read- 
ing to  the  Commentary,  and  I  perceive  that  it  will 
require  all  the  time  and  strength  that  I  possess :  when 
I  take  this  Wew  of  it,  I  am  induced  to  relinquish  en- 
tirely my  design  of  preaching  in  English :  let  me  have 
also  your  opinion. 

"  I  have  just  received  the  daily  paper.  There  is  to 
be  a  review  of  the  troops  to-morrow,  by  the  governor 
and  deputy.governor.  On  Monday,  the  Hon.  Mr.  Kin 
is  to  be  married  to  Miss  Tang,  &c.,  &c. ;  and  on  the 
second  of  next  month,  Mr.  Wan  is  to  be  espoused  to 
Miss  Sin,  &c.  I  don't  ever  remember  to  have  seen 
such  things  noticed  before.  The  parties  are  all  the 
sons  and  daughters  of  mandarins. 

"  There  is  mentioned  a  very  destructive  inundation 
in  the  province  of  Hoo-nan.  The  water  entered  the 
principal  town,  to  the  depth  of  ten  feet,  and  multi- 
tudes perished.  The  troops  in  the  regions  of  Eastern 
Tartary,  about  the  river  Amour,  are  ordered  away  to 
Western  Tartary  to  oppose  the  Mahommedan  rebels. 
1  am  wearied,  my  dear  love,  but  still  I  must  write  to 
you. — I  long  to  return ;  but  the  king's  service  requires 
my  absence.  Oh,  for  gratitude  to  Him,  and  zeal  in 
His  service !         *         *         * 

2b2 


372  PRIVATE   JOURNAL.  [1826. 

"  We  are  trying  at  lithography.  The  carpenter 
has  delayed  us  long ;  but,  in  a  few  days,  I  hope  to  be 
able  to  tell  you  that  we  have  succeeded.  John  is  the 
principal — Atsow  is  the  painter.  I  am  afraid  to  try 
with  any  writing  that  makes  sense,  such  as  I  could 
wish ;  and  therefore  we  are  trying  with  ]Jj  ^J^  *  hills 
and  water ' — *  landscapes.' 

"  I  sat  down  to  study  a  sermon ;  but  I  have  been  so 
much  occupied  and  hindered,  that  I  have  not  written  a 
line.  If  I  prepare  for  English  preaching,  Chinese  must 
be  much  impeded;  there  is  the  dilemma.  Politics  blacken 
in  the  north.  The  rebels  have  advanced :  they  have 
cut  off  old  General  Yang-yu-chun,  who  was  never 
defeated  before,  having  been  always  victorious :  he 
advanced  with  a  chosen  band  in  the  van  of  the  main 
body  of  his  troops  ;  but  he  was  surrounded — cut  off — 
and,  as  it  is  supposed,  slain,  for  no  message  has  been 
received  from  him,  nor  any  account  of  him. 

"  Sung  Tajin,  the  friend  of  Lord  Macartney,  and 
of  Sir  George  Staunton's  Tather,  who  long  survived 
them  both,  has,  at  last,  paid  the  debt  of  nature  :  he  died 
absent  from  home  on  public  service.  The  Hong  mer- 
chants have  written  to  England  for  eight  large  mirrors 
for  his  imperial  Majesty.  He  had  better  be  thinking 
about  something  else  than  looking-glasses.     *     * 

"  20th.  •  •  *  By  accounts  from  Tartary,  the  plot 
thickens  there.  The  rebels,  as  they  are  called,  are 
from  one  to  two  hundred  thousand  strong — three  hun- 
dred troops  are  going  from  this  province  all  the  way 
to  the  northern  frontier,  to  fill  up  the  place  of  those 
who  have  advanced  into  Tartary.  Oh,  let  us  remem- 
ber our  Creator,  Preserver,  and  Redeemer.  May  the 
great  topics  of  our  holy  faith  elevate,  and  cheer,  and 
strengthen  our  minds — grace  and  peace  be  ever  yours. 


BUBBCRIPTIONS    TO    THE    COLLEGE. 


373 


I 


I 


1826.] 

*  Nearly  all  the  Bubscriptioiis  to  the  College  have 
been  paid  to  me  ;  they  amount  to  about  two  thousand 
dollars.  Toone,  without  letting  me  know  previously, 
has  subscribed  four  hundred  dollars,  and  obtained 
others  to  the  amount  I  have  already  mentioned." 

Personal  regard  to  Dr.  Morrison,  as  well  as  a  desire 
to  promote  the  important  objects  of  the  Anglo-Chi- 
nese College,  induced  many  of  the  Company's  represen- 
tatives in  China  to  render  liberal  aid  to  that  Institu- 
tion;  among  whom  was  J.  H.  Toone,  Esq.,  who  com- 
menced the  subscription  above  referred  to,  and  sent  it 
to  Dr.  Morrison,  with  the  following  note. 

"  Dear  Morrison, 
*'  I  send  you  herewith  a  paper,  which  will  explain 
itself ;  when  you  have  looked  at  it,  be  so  good  as  to 
return  it,  as  perhaps  more  additional  signatures  may 
yet  be  obtained.  "  Your's  truly, 

«  J.  H.  TOOKE." 

"  Dec.  3rd.  •  •  •  Yesterday,  I  was  prevented 
writing  to  you,  in  consequence  of  a  very  severe  head- 
ache ;  last  night  the  pain  was  most  acute  ;  I  am  this 
morning  relieved,  but  not  well :  at  ten  o'clock  I  per- 
formed divine  service,  and  preach  a  sermon  on  Gen.  i.  1, 
*  In  the  beginning  God  created  the  heavens  and  the 
earth.'  My  mind  was  led  to  it  from  reflecting  on  the 
idolatry  around  us.  Our  God,  my  *  *  *  is  the 
former  of  all  things ;  may  he  be  our  portion  now  and 
for  ever :  what  can  we  want  beside."     •     *     • 

"  3rd,  1,  P.M. — Worship  began  at  ten  o'clock  to-day. 
Wethenhadthe  Colonel,  Presgrave,  and  some  Captains 
—the  responses  were  read  according  to  usage.  I  en- 
deavoured to  set  forth  the  Scripture-character  of  God 
as  the  great  Creator,  wliich  is  so  often  alluded  to  in 


374  PRIVATE   JOURNAL-  [1826. 

Holy  Writ.  I  pray  God's  blessing  to  rest  upon  the 
means  of  increasing  the  knowledge  of  himself — ^the 
necessary  preparation  (for  English  sermons)  would,  for 
the  sort  of  audience  I  should  have,  with  my  secular 
and  domestic  duties,  and  extensive  religious  corres- 
pondence, be  nearly  equal  to  all  my  strength  and 
time,  and  Chinese  would  be  neglected.  Yet  your 
opinion,  and  the  Colonel's  opinion,  and  my  own 
wishes,  are  in  favour  of  it.  But  we  came  hither  for 
the  ioke  of  the  heathen — ^their  religious  instruction  is  our 
object.     May  the  Lord  direct  us,  and  assist  us."  *     * 

"  I  have  been  engaged  with  my  Chinese  writing 
to-day,  but  have  not  effected  much. 

"  I  am  attempting  the  work  which  is  greatly  re- 
quired, but  which  is  not  easily  performed.  May  He 
preserve  me,  if  it  be  His  will,  to  finish  it.  My  head 
is  not  well  to-day.  Sir  W.  sent  his  two  hundred  dol- 
lars for  the  College ;  and  in  my  note,  in  reply,  I  have 
offered  to  read  prayers  and  preach,  without  pecuniary 
reward,  till  the  Company  send  out  a  chaplain.  An 
unwillingness  to  see  public  worship  discontinued  in 
Canton  was,  I  told  him,  my  only  motive  for  volun- 
teering contrary  to  my  feelings.  John  is  busy  copy, 
ing  maps  for  my  Commentary,  and  making  a  Chinese 
gazetteer,  which  prevents  his  writing — ^lie  sends  his 
duty  and  love."         #         #         # 

To  Dr.  Morrison's  offer,  the  following  answer  was 
given  by  Sir  W.  Fraser,  President  of  the  Select 
Committee. 

"  Dear  Morrison, 

"  I  have  mentioned  to  my  colleagues  the  purport  of 
your  note,  and  they  coincide  in  opinion  with  me,  that 
we  are  not  authorized  to  accept  your  kind  offer,  which 


1826.]  PUBLIC    WORSHIP    IN   CANTON.  375 

I  am  well  assured  was  only  made  from  the  best  mo- 
tives and  wishes  for  our  welfare. 

"  I  remain  your's  faithfully, 

"  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison,  &c.,  &c.  "  W.  Fraser.** 

*  «  «  *  * 

^^  It  is  a  lamentable  state  of  religious  or  irreligious 
feeling,  that  in  the  true  spirit  of  popery,  under  no  cir- 
cumstances (except  reading  prayers  over  the  dead) 
will  they  have  communion  with  any  who  will  not 
bow  down  to  absolute  authority,  and  yield  an  implicit 
uniformity.  If  such  persons  ^  believcj  they  don't  act 
upon  the  article  in  the  Creed,  ^  Communion  of  saints.' 

"  26th.  *  *  *  My  beloved  ♦  *  *,  I  have  just  re- 
turned from  preaching  in  Mr.  Olyphant's  room.  This 
morning  my  mind  could  not  be  at  rest  without  making 
an  effort  to  speak  to  othera  of  the  Lord  Christ.  I  did 
not  like  to  stay  away  from  public  worship,  and  I  did 
not  like  the  idea  of  a  minister  of  Christ  being  a 
hearer,  whilst  worship  was  led  by  a  secular  man — 
(I  supposed  Mr.  P.  would  read) — I  thought  it  un- 
worthy of  me,  I  therefore  wrote  to  Olyphant  to  col- 
lect as  many  as  he  could.  We  had  a  congregation  of 
twenty  and  upwards.  I  began  with  my  small  Chi- 
nese congregation,  and  then  went  to  Olyphant's  at 
eleven.  A  testimony  for  the  truth  is  much  wanted 
here ;  I  feel  as  if  I  could  not  relinquish  it.  I  will 
send  you  the  sermon  which  I  preached  this  morning. 
Grace  and  peace  be  your  constant  portion.  I  long  to 
see  you  all."         #         #         # 

"  9,  P.M. — I  have  now,  my  love,  finished  the  labours 
of  the  day — at  six,  I  exhorted  the  Chinese — and  about 

seven,  our  friends.     Olyphant,  the  Colonel,  M*K •, 

and  a  Mr. ,  a  young  man  from  America,  come 

to  read  the  Scriptures  and  pray.     I  request  every  one 
either  to  read  a  chapter  or  a  hymn,  so  that  all  take  a 


376  PKIVATE   JOURNAL.  [1826. 

part  in  the  service.  To-morrow,  being  the  first  Mon- 
day in  the  month,  we  propose  meeting  for  Missionary 
prayers — O.  is  pleased  with  the  idea  of  a  chain  of  such 
meetings  going  on  round  the  world.  Not  a  simultaneous 
prayer-meeting,  (some  of  our  friends  at  home  mistake 
this  matter,)  but  a  consecutive  series.  Perhaps,  in  the 
circle,  we  in  China  should  begin ;  as  the  sun  of  Jth' 
pun  (Japan),  literally,  the  ^  source  of  day,'  first  rises  on 
us.     ♦     ♦     ♦ 

"  27th. — It  is  now  about  ten,  p.m. — Our  friends,  with 
Johnny  and  myself,  assembled  about  eight  to  read  the 
Scriptures,  and  pray  for  the  conversion  of  the  heathen, 
and  the  restoration  of  the  Jews.  It  is  the  first  monthly 
prayer-meeting  that  ever  was  held  (I  believe)  in 
China.  May  such  meetings  never  cease  till  China 
be  evangelized !" 

"  I  was  mortified  the  other  day  by  reading,  in  the 
Peking  Gazette,  of  a  military  man,  who  was  ordered 
to  join  the  army  in  Tartary,  who  esteemed  the  impe- 
rial command  so  great  an  honour,  that  he  lost  for  a 
time  the  power  of  utterance.  Alas !  how  coolly  do 
christians  feel  for  Zion's  King." 

"  I  should  like  to  hear  that  M.  B.  is  learning  a  little 
Chinese,  together  with  her  other  acquirements.  I  wish 
my  whole  family  to  have  a  regard  to,  and  spend  a  por- 
tion of  strength  in  aid  of,  the  Mission.  It  will  not  be 
reputable  for  her  to  remain  totally  ignorant  of  Chi- 
nese. How  much  easier  it  is  to  stint  one's  self  in 
England,  and  give  a  little  money  to  Missions,  than  to 
give  a  little  instruction,  and  a  little  exhortation  to  Pa- 
gans in  a  pagan  land  i         #         #         # 

"  Jan.  28th. — *  Oh,  that  I  had  wings  like  a  dove,'  &c. 
Ps.  iv.  6.  Han  piih  nang  fun  ke  urh  fei  keu  yay, 
*  Regret  that  not  can  from  earth  start  up  and  fly 
away.'     I  was  struck  with  the  sameness  of  thought 


KIDNAFPINO   IN   CHINA. 


377 


I 


in  the  ancient  Chinese  ode  :  a  wife  says  it  in  reference 
to  her  absent  husband. 

"  On  the  importance  of  femak  education,  they  say, 
Kwei  inun  wei  fuug  hwa  che  yuen,  *The  ladies' 
apartment  is  reformation's  source  ;'  i.  e.  a  good  or  bad 
female  education  corrupts,  or  reforms,  the  manners  of 
a  country.         «         •         # 

"  With  respect  to  the  servants,  I  am  at  a  loss  what 
to  say,  it  is  a  great  trial  of  patience.  The  pagans  of 
this  country  are  proud  and  unprincipled,  and  hence  it 
is,  that  we  are  come  among  them  to  try  to  do  them 
good.  To  get  well-principled  and  strictly  faithful 
servants,  who  will  not  try  to  overreach  and  make 
money,  is  not  practicable  ;  therefore,  the  general  sen- 
timent for  us  to  adopt  is  to  expect  little,  and  bear 
much.  Benevolence  has  brought  us  here  to  do  them 
good ;  and  we  must  do  the  best  we  can." 

*'  Kidnapping  is  much  practised  in  China,  often 
with  the  design  of  getting  the  reward  for  the  lost 
child ;  and  on  one  occasion,  the  child  of  European 
parents  was  enticed  away  from  Macao." 

•  *  *  "  Ahang  says,  that  the  more  cultivated 
servant-women  will  not  go  into  the  service  of  fo- 
reigners :  you  now  see,  my  love,  what  must  have  been 
my  troubles,  when  unassisted,  discountenanced,  and 
without  money,  I  had  to  find  my  way  to  the  Chinese, 
and  associate  with  them  as  I  have  done,  to  learn  from 
them  what  I  have  learnt ;  in  order  to  teach  them 
what  i*  5f  more  value  than  all  the  money  that  was 
ever  made  in  China."         •         •         • 

"  May  the  Lord  help  us  to  take  serious  and  believ- 
ing views  of  death,  judgment,  and  eternity  ;  then  the 
comparatively  trifling  ills  of  this  fleeting  existence 
will  be  as  nothing ;  and  the  caprices,  and  the  chica- 
neries, and  the  little  petty  money  frauds,  or  the  still 


378  PRIVATE   JOURNAL.  [1827. 

more  distressing  moral  deceits,  where  money  is  not 
concerned,  will  appear  in  their  true  colours.  Let  us 
work,  my  ♦  ♦  ♦,  while  it  is  day,  for  the  night  cometh 
when  no  man  can  work." 

"  This  is  the  8th. — A  few  days  more  and  I  humbly 
hope  to  be  permitted  to  visit  you.  I  long  to  see  and 
talk  with  little  R .  I  long  to  see  you  all.  I  re- 
gret Achan's  ill-behaviour,  for  I  wish  to  see  all  around 

us  happy."         *.        *         *  . 

"  From  preaching  on  ^  Redemption,'  I  came  home 
with  symptoms  of  head-ache,  and  found  my  little 
Chinese  flock,  (oh,  that  I  could  better  instruct  them !) 
waiting  for  me.  There  were  present,  old  Domine  Le, 
Domine  Ko,  Aheen,  and  some  others.  I  explained 
the  103rd  Psalm,  and  Aheen  read  the  sermon.  After 
the  service,  when  I  went  into  my  Chinese  study,  I 
saw  lying  on  my  table  two  parcels  and  a  letter.  They 
appeared  to  be  from  England,  and  the  letter  was  sealed 
with  black,  and  while  I  opened  it,  I  dreaded  some 
news  of  death  among  our  kindred ;  but  on  reading  it, 
found  it  contained  nothing  of  the  kind :  I  enclose  it 
to  you.  I  received  nineteen  magazines  for  June,  and 
four  numbers  of  the  Cottage  Bible ;  the  ^  Memorial ' 
is  slightly  noticed  by  the  editor  of  the  Evangelical 
Magazine — ^he  praises  me  rather  than  the  book! — 
gives  me  the  credit  of  ^  unbending  integrity ' — but 
says,  some  surmised  my  measures  were  dictated  by 
^  Obstinacy.'  I  suppose  he  means  returning  to  my 
labours  here :  you  see,  my  love,  how  candid  my 
friends  are !" 

*  *  "I  write  much,  my  dear  ♦  *  *,  in  hopes  of 
amusing,  and  interesting,  and  edifying  you — preach- 
ing up  to  you  ray  favourite  virtue,  humility  ;  of  which 
some  of  our  friends  in  England  deemed  me  destitute — 
but  of  course  unjustly.     I  was  going   to  criticise  the 


1827.] 


BOOKS   BUBNT. 


370 


I 
I 


Congregational  Magazine,  but  I  must  reserve  it  till  we 
meet,  aa  you  did  L.'s  remarks  on  my  Bermon."  •    •  • 
After  returning  to  Canton,  Dr.  Morrison  addressed 
the  following  letter  to  his  brother. 

'■TO  MR.  J.  MORRISON. 
"MtDear  Bkotheh,  "Canton.Feb.  18th,  1827. 
"  The  time  of  my  leaving  Canton,  to  return  to 
Macao,  is  fast  approaching.  In  the  middle  of  March, 
1  hope  to  be  again  with  my  family.  To-day,  I  have 
been  preaching  an  English  sermon  to  a  small  congre- 
gation of  Americans  and  others.  Amongst  them  was 
a  native  Chinese,  who  has  been  baptized  in  America. 
The  subject  was  the  Person,  and  work,  of  the  Holy 
Spirit — chiefly  in  regenerating,  sanctifying,  and  com- 
forting  believers  in  Christ.  In  this  pagan  land,  such 
a  case,  to  you  so  common,  has  a  peculiar  interest.  " 
"  *  "  My  health  is  much  as  usual.  I  am  subject 
to  slight  ailments,  which  leave  me  the  general  appear- 
ance of  good  health.  I  have  often  grieved  that  we 
make  so  little  progress  in  converting  the  heathen  to 
the  faith  of  the  Gospel.  China  is  at  present  in  an 
unsettled  state.  They  are  engaged  in  war  with  the 
Tartara  of  Cashgar  and  the  neighbourhood.  *  • 
When  I  was  in  Macao,  about  a  month  ago,  a  fire 
occurred  in  my  neighbour,  Mr.  Astell's  rooms ;  it  com- 
municated through  the  partition  wall,  and  burnt  ami 
injured  my  books  to  a  considerable  amount." 
»  «  «  *  « 

Referring  to  this  circumstance  again,  he  says,  "  the 
floor  and  wall  of  the  room  are  quite  repaired — but  the 
books  are  not  replaced.  The  telescope  which  I  had 
with  me  in  the  Embassy  is  destroyed — and  the  picture 
of  the  children  is  burnt.  1  wait  for  day-light  to-mor- 
row, to  see  the  books  which  are  in  another  suite  of 
rooms."  •  •  • 


380  LITERARY   LABOURS.  [1827. 

"23rd. — I  have  now  seen  my  books ;  all  are  injured, 
some  are  partially  burnt,  and  some  are  entirely  useless. 
The  boxes  in  which  they  stood  are  rendered  useless 

by  being  scorched.     M says  it  was  a  judgment 

on  me,  for  being  so  vain  of  the  gay  bindings !  " 

The  following  letter  from  Dr.  Morrison  notices  some 
of  his  engagements  during  the  summer.  Besides  the 
English  service  mentioned,  he  always  had  two  Chinese 
services  on  the  Sundays.  On  other  days,  he  gave  in- 
structions to  the  native  Christians,  and  any  who  chose 
to  attend  them,  before  breakfast  every  morning. 

♦        ♦         ♦  "  Macao,  March  18th,  1827. 

"  I  am  engaged  in  writing  a  work  in  Chinese,  con- 
sisting of  selections  from  Holy  Scripture,  with  occa- 
sional remarks,  explanatory  and  didactic,  on  all  the 
great  principles  of  Divine  Revelation.  A  title  suit- 
able to  it  would  be,  "  Domestic  Instructions,  derived 
from  Divine  Revelation."  It  is  intended  chiefly  to 
assist  the  principles  of  Christianity,  as  the  ground- 
work of  comparison  with,  and  refutation  of.  Paganism. 

I  have  been  down  here  a  few  weeks,  and  have  had 
public  worship  in  my  own  house,  which  was  attended 
by  several  members  of  the  Factory,  and  other  English 
persons  in  Macao.  Oh !  that  we  had  a  zealous  evan- 
gelical minister  here !  The  mummery  and  anti- 
scriptural  principles  and  practices  of  the  Romanists 
are  very  lamentable ;  and  they  love  darkness  rather 
than  light.  A  school  here  accepted  of  a  few  Portu- 
guese testaments,  and  afterwards  (I  suspect  from  the 
influence  of  priestly  authority)  returned  them,  saying, 
they  did  not  want  such  books.  The  whole  of  last 
week  has  been  spent  at  the  cathedral,  adjoining  our 
house,  in  masses,  for  the  soul  of  the  king  of  Portugal, 
who  died  about  a  year  ago. 

^^  In  this  empire,  all  eyes  are  looking  intensely  to  the 


I 


r  1827.]    OPINIONS  ON  THE  GREEK  AND  EOMAN  POETS.      381 

opening  campaign  in  Tartary.  The  Courtiers  give 
out  tliat  the  imperial  army  will  soon  be  victorious 
over  the  rebels  of  Yarkhand  and  Caahgar." 

The  school  referred  to  was  for  young  ladies.  A 
Swedish  gentleman,  who  took  an  interest  in  some 
of  tlie  young  people,  and  had  them  instnicted  in  the 
English  language,  requested  the  writer  to  recommend 
some  suitable  elementary  books,  and  procure  them 
from  England  for  them,  which  she  did.  Among  those 
aelected  was  Mrs.  Trimmer's  History  of  the  Bible ; 
which  being  submitted  to  the  priests,  was  disapproved 
of,  and  returned  with  a  message,  saying,  the  young 
people  were  not  permitted  to  retain  it.  The  following 
extracts  are  considered  important  as  recording  Dr. 
Morrison's  opinions  on  various  subjects. 

"  Canton,  30lh  Oct.  When  reflecting  what  is  best  for 
me  to  do,  with  a  view  of  helping  the  heathen  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  Truth,  it  occurs  to  me  that  I  should 
write  much.  If  I  goon  learning  the  polite  literature 
ofChuia,  Imay  go  on  learning  to  my  dying  hour  ;  but 
I  can  write  intelligibly  in  Chinese,  therefore  I  think  I 
had  better  desist  from  learning  pagan  lore,  and  tench 
Christianity,  in  tlie  simple  Chinese  phrase.  Pagan 
Chinese  reading  is,  to  my  taste,  as  offensive  (but  not 
more  so)  as  tlie  profligate  poets,  &c.  of  Greece  and 
Rome,  and  modern  Europe.  Horace,  the  most  ele- 
gant, and  most  read,  is  full  of  abominable  stufl*,  much 
worse  than  mi  lord  Biron.  But  apart  from  the  im- 
morality of  such  '  fine  writers,'  I  have  no  taste  for 
the  vapid  uselessness  of  their  innocent  lucubrations : 
to  dip  into  them '^  is  enough  ;  it  is  quite  out  of  the  ques- 
tion to  study  them  for  the  sake  of  style,  or  any  such 
object."  •         «         #         • 

"  Nov.    1st. — I    have  been   very  nmch  edified  this 


382  PRIVATE   JOURNAL.  [1827. 

morning  by  a  sermon  of  Dr.  Bates,  contained  in  an 
old  worm-eaten  folio  copy  of  his  works.  The  text  was, 
^the  fear  of  the  Lord  that  is  wisdom/  He  shows 
very  forcibly  that  by  the  fall  not  only  are  our  passions 
depraved,  but  our  understandings  are  perverted — ^men 
judge  like  fools  in  spiritual  things.  They  seek  for 
happiness  in  things  which  never  can,  in  their  very  na- 
ture, give  satisfaction  to  our  souls.  A  sun-dial  is 
adapted  to  show  the  hour  ;  but  the  sun  must  shine  upon 
it,  or  it  will  be  useless.  The  soul  is  capable  of  happi- 
ness ;  but  the  light  of  God's  countenance  must  shine 
upon  it,  to  produce  that  effect. 

"3rd. — Fearing  that  it  might  be  necessary  to  quit 
Canton  before  the  despatch  on  the  16th  inst.,  I  have 
spent  the  day  in  intense  writing  of  letters,  in  answer 
to  those  received.  I  have  written,  last  evening 
and  to-day,  upwards  of  thirty  letters.  I  have  written 
to  the  Bishop  of  Landaff,  Earl  Roden,  Lord  Bexley, 
and  to  the  Secretaries  of  the  Prayer  Book  and  Homily 
Society,  &c.   &c. 

"  Sunday  4th. — May  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  be 
this  day  present  in  all  the  churches  of  the  saints,  and 
be  graciously  present  with  our  souls!  My  head 
is  not  well,  but  I  hope  I  shall  be  able  to  preach. 
Evening. — I  have  gone  through  the  public  services 
with  tolerable  comfort,  both  in  English  and  Chinese. 
We  had  as  many  as  at  our  best  times.  The  text  was, 
1  Cor.  i.  SO.     The  object  was  to' exalt  Christ  Jesus. 

"  5th. — ^This  evening  we  purpose  to  have  a  Mission- 
ary prayer  meeting.  If  they  begin  in  the  South  Seas, 
we  follow  here  in  China — ^then  India,  Syria,  and  Eu- 
rope,— America  comes  last.  A  chain  of  prayer  is 
formed  all  round  the  world,  for  twenty-four  hours !  *  ♦ 

"  Captain  C.  was  with  us  this  evening  at  prayer. 
He  hoisted  the  Bethel  Flag  yesterday  at  Whampoa, 


l|827.]         FIRBT   ENGLISH    NEWSPAPER   IN   CHINA.  383 

ind  collected  a  congregation — all  Americana :  he  is 
christian  called  late — and  not  yet  cooled,  as  too 
many  are  ;  he  feels  the  ardour  of  gratitude  to  his 
Saviour  in  his  heart,  and  it  gives  a  pathos  to  his 
singing  and  prayer.         •  •  •  Lgt  ,ig 

build  on  the  rock.  *  Comfort  ye,  comfort  ye  my 
people !  The  young  and  the  strong  shall  fail ;  but 
they  that  wait  upon  the  Lord  shall  mount  up  as  eagles, 
they  shall  run  and  not  be  weary,  walk  aud  not  faint.' 
*  Wait  on  the  Lord,  and  be  of  good  courage,  and  He 
,  shall  strengthen  tliy  heart.'" 

I       "6th.  *  ••    You  perceive,  my  love,  by  my  getting 
I  through  80  much  work  this  morning,  that  I  am  pretty 
[  well.     The  complaint  which    alarmed  me  has   sub- 
sided;  and  I  breakfasted  at  the  Company's." 

'  7th. — Last  evening  there  was  a  party  of  about 

I  forty  at  Capt.    H's.     After  dinner,   Mr.  H ,  the 

[  theatrical  youth,  stood  behind  a  table,  at  the  end 
I  of  a  long  room,  and  narrated  his  reminiscences  of 
persons  and  places  in  a  comic  manner ;  and  mixed 
the  whole  with  songs.  His  sougs  are  never  offensive 
to  delicacy  and  propriety ;  but  the  persons  whom  he 
ridic\ded,  under  feigned  names,  were  perhaps  his  own 
kindred,  who  gave  him  advice.  M —  said  he  was 
anxious  to  know  if  I  received  the  packet  of  letters  he 
had  brought  for  me,  as  he  had  received  another  letter 
enquiring  about  them.  Why  then  did  he  not  come, 
'  or  write  1  Poor  fellow  I  he  does  not  want  any  ac- 
quaintanceship, I  fear,  with  religious  people." 

"The  '  Canton  Register'  ia  anew  thing  in  the  world. 
Nothing  like  it  has  ever  before  appeared  in  China. 
The  Macao  Paper  in  Portuguese  was  a  liberal  attempt; 
but  the  restoration  of  legitimate  power  has  suppressed 
This  paper  shows  the  zeal  of  the  Merchants — they 
are  not  afraid  to  print  about  their  smuggled  drug: 


384  PRIVATE  JOURNAL.  [1827. 

there  is  so  much  ^  price  current,'  the  paper  will  not  be 
very  current  any  where  but  with  the  traders." 

Dr.  Morrison's  aid  was  earnestly  solicited  to  sup- 
port this  new  publication,  and  it  was  promised  upon 
condition  that  he  should  have  full  liberty  to  express 
his  opinions  on  those  moral  and  religious  subjects 
which  it  was  his  object  to  promote  :  this  privilege  was 
readily  granted,  with  an  offer  of  300  dollars  a-year, 
to  be  bestowed  on  any  benevolent  institution  he  chose. 
From  this  time,  Dr  Morrison  contributed  essentially 
to  its  support,  till  the  last  number  that  was  published 
previous  to  his  decease. 

"  Nov.  9th. — I  have  finished  my  discourse  for  Sun- 
day. The  reproof  of  our  Saviour  to  the  seven 
Churches,  may  be  expressed  in  five  words — They  are 
rebuked  for  Declension^  Indulgence j  Deficiency ^  Indiffe^ 
rence  and  Pride  ;  they  left  their  first  love ;  they  indidged 
error  and  vice ;  they  were  partially  religious ;  exter- 
nally living — ^internally  dead,  they  were  luhewamiy  and 
proudly  thought  themselves  rich — needing  nothing. 

"  10th.  Evening. — ^To-day  I  have  written  about 
three  sheets  for  the  Canton  Register.  Mr.  W —  and 
Mr.  —  have  no  knowledge  of  Chinese ;  nor  do  they 
seem  to  have  any  talent  in  collecting  information  from 
the  natives.  I  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  paper  be- 
yond sending  a  paragraph.  I  think  it  right  to  en- 
courage the  thing.  From  Honan  province,  there  is  a 
shocking  case  of  a  young  man  unintentionally  causing 
his  profligate  mother's  death.         *  *         #         # 

I  have  sent  this  to  the  paper,  as  a  warning  fact, 
and  to  let  the  world  see  the  wickedness  which  exists ; 
and  which,  alas !  abounds  in  all  parts  of  it.     *       * 

^*  A  state  prisoner  has  arrived  in  Canton,  a  re- 
lation of  the  rebel  chief  in  Tartary;  he  is  to  be 
kept  for  ever  under  close  confinement — ^no  intercourse 


ir  letter  allowed  ;  and  his  wife  and  children 
to  be  slaves  in  other  parts  of  the  empire. 
•         •  Pen,  ink,  and  pnper  are  good 

things  in  their  way  ;    but  how  miicli  rather  would  I 


be 


I 


n  circumstances  to  dispense  with  them  in  re- 
ference to  you,  my  love,  and  our  dear  children  !  Yet, 
bad  and  uncomfortable  as  the  case  is,  it  might  be 
worse.  We — I  speak  as  a  sinful  creature — deserve 
little — little  I  we  deserve  nothing  good^Lord,  teach 
UB  to  be  humble  t  •         *         «         Majoribanks 

proposed  to  Sir  William  and  Mr.  Plawden,  to  give 
the  College  the  use  of  the  Chinese  Types,  form- 
erly employed  in  printing  my  Dictionary;  but  they 
opposed  it.  *  *  *  Corporation  and 

test  acts  came  on  at  table  ;  and  it  appeared  that  the 
impression  was,  the  Dissenters  were  against  the  Ca* 
tholics;  and,  therefore,  since  they  refused  liberty  to 
others,  did  not  deserve  it  ihemBelves.  *  •  •  asked 
me  across  the  table  if  the  Dissenters  did  not  hate 
each  other?  I  replied,  not  so  much  as  high  and  low 
church  hated  each  other — it  silenced  him  :  I  followed 
up,  by  saying  that  all  the  good  men,  of  different  com- 
munions, loved  each  other  on  great  principles,  and 
sunk  the  minor  distiuctions  ;  that  churchmen  voted  the 
repeal  of  the  test  act,  which  prostituted  the  holy  sacra- 
ment. There  are  only  two  sects  after  ell — the  pious 
Bud  the  impious — the  righteous  and  the  wicked.  I 
believe  that  is  the  best  answer  to  all  enquiries  about 
sects  and  party.  Tliose  who  fear  God,  and  those  who  do 
not ; — those  who  love  and  serve  the  Saviour,  and  those 
who  do  not.  It  occurs  to  me  that  we  should  more  fre- 
juently  feel  compassion,  than  indignation,  towards 
ttfioae  who  are  ignorant,  and  proud,  and  out  of  the  way 
—patience,  fortitude,  and  meekness,  are  excellent 
tempers  for  the  despised  christian. 
VOL.  n.  2  c 


366  RECOMMENDATION    OF   THE   A.    COLLEGE        [1827. 

"Sunday  Evening. — Our  congregation  was  composed 
as  heretofore,  of  strangers — some  American  residents — 
three  of  the  Company's  captains — ^the  English  coun- 
try captains  never  come ;  long  residence  in  India, 
does,  I  fear,  sear  the  conscience  in  a  great  and  awful 
degree.  No  Sabbath,  no  public  worship,  and  pro- 
bably no  social  and  private  prayer.  There  was  a  very 
solemn  attention  to  a  rather  long  sermon.  I  added  a 
good  deal  on  repentance ;  the  thought  having  struck 
me  that,  "  Be  zealous  and  repent,"  means  be  zealous  to 
repent — set  about  it  immediately  and  earnestly.  My 
own  mind  was  in  the  subject;  and  I  desired  to 
preach  to  myself  first,  and  next  to  others,  with  fervour, 
and  affection,  and  humility — ^with  a  studied  avoidance 
of  pomposity.  I  have  a  disesteem  for  any  efforts  that 
are  not  perfectly  simple.  The  truthj  is  what  I  rely 
upon,  without  much  regard  to  the  manner  of  delivering 
it — perhaps  I  carry  the  idea  too  far. 

"  I  have  written  a  sort  of  public  letter  to-day  to  O — 
for  a  preacher  of  the  Gospel  in  English,  to  come  from 
the  United  States.  He  will  send  copies  of  it  to  influ- 
ential people  in  America,  to  try  to  carry  the  object 
into  effect."  *  * 

The  Revds.  Messrs.  Abeel  and  Bridgman,  and  sub- 
sequently, the  Rev.  Edwin  Stephens,  chaplain  to  the 
Seamen,  (whose  lamented  death,  has  left  an  impor- 
tant post  unoccupied,)  were  sent  to  China  in  conse- 
quence of  Dr.  Morrison's  application  to  the  American 
churches. 

^*  I  wrote  to-day  to  Dr.  Chalmers,  with  a  view  of 
calling  his  attention  to  the  heartless,  cold,  unaffection- 
ate  religion  of  the  Scotch  ;  especially  in  these  parts 
of  the  world.  *  #  *  Maijoribanks  has  written 
a  paragraph  in  favour  of  the  College  to  the  Court,  and 
the  Committee  have  signed  it."         •         •         • 

Tlie  late   Charles  Maijoribanks,  Esq.,  M.  P.,  had. 


B827.J  TO   THB   COURT   OP   DISBCTORS.  SHI 

Muring  many  years  of  personal   intercourse  with  Dr. 

■Morrison  in  China,  evinced  towards  him  the  warmest 

■ifriendship,  founded  on  admiration  of  hia  talents,  and 

jepect  for  his  character.     Mr.  M.  was  himself  a  man 

|bf  liberal  and  benevolent  principles,  and  readily  afforded 

ihe  aid  of  his  influence  and  property  to  those  objects, 

(rhich  tended  to  improve  the  moral  or  temporal  con- 

lition  of  his  fellow-creatures. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  paragraph    above 

I  mentioned. 

"  Having  been  requested  by  Dr.  Morrison  to  lay 

(before  your  Honourable  Court  our  opinion  respecting 

|the  Institution    established    at    Malacca,    under    the 

lame    of  the    Anglo-Chinese  College,  we    willingly 

bvail    ourselves  of  the  present  opportunity  of  doing 

»io,    being  impressed  with  the    conviction  that  every 

means  of  acquiring  a    more    intimate    knowledge  of 

i  literature  of  China,  of  its  political  institutions,  and 

he  peculiar  character  of  its  people,  will  receive  from 

your  Honourable  Court,  a  continuance  of  that  liberal 

I  encouragement  which    has  already  been   afforded  to 

I  the  promotion  of  those  important  objects. 

"  The  College  at  Malacca  not  only  holds  forth  a 
I  prospect  of  these  ends,  but  also  of  communicating  to 
i-the  natives  of  Enstem  Asia  a  knowledge  of  European 
Ktiterature,  and  instruction  iu  every  branch  of  useful 
Knowledge.     The  superior  civilization  of  the  natives  of 
*-iihe  west,  opens  a  wide  field  for  extending  to  the  people 
of  China,  Cochin-china,  and  the  Islands  in  the  Eastern 
Archipelago,  the  inestimable  advantage  of  education, 
which  it  is  trusted,  will  be  a  means  of  assisting  in  re- 
moving those  prejudices  which  have  so  long  existed 
among  the  ultra-gangetic  nations  against  the  foreign 
character. 

"Every  disposition,  it  is  stated,  exists  among  the 
2c2 


388  ANGLO-CHmSSE   COLLEGE.  [1827. 

Chinese  colonists  at  Malacca,  to  send  their  children 
to  this  institution,  where  they  are  instructed  in  different 
branches  of  liberal  education,  and  in  moral  and  religious 
principles.  Religious  instruction  is  freely  afforded  to 
all  who  are  disposed  to  receive  it  voluntarily,  but  no 
attempt  is  made  to  induce  students  to  become  converts 
contrary  to  deliberate  conviction. 

"  We  have  heard  with  satisfaction  that  the  Malacca 
College  has  received  the  support  and  countenance 
of  the  Penang  Government ;  and  as  the  objects  which 
it  contemplates  are  in  a  great  measure  the  facilita- 
ting our  intercourse  with  this  country,  and  extend- 
ing the  knowledge  of  the  Chinese  character,  we 
most  willingly  beg  to  recommend  the  Institution  to 
the  favourable  attention  of  your  Honourable  Court. 

"  It  is  but  justice  to  Dr.  Morrison  to  state,  that  the 
College  entirely  owes  its  origin  to  him,  and  its  con- 
tinuation to  his  exertions ;  and  he  has  thus  added  to 
pre-eminent  success  in  Chinese  literature,  his  unre- 
mitting exertions  for  the  diffiision  of  useful  knowledge. 

**  In  our  address  to  your  honourable  Court,  in  the 
past  season,  we  had  occasion  to  mention  the  advantages 
which  have  resulted  to  the  East  India  Company's 
interests  in  China,  from  his  valuable  public  services  ; 
and  while  we  are  deeply  impressed  with  the  benefits 
which  we  have  already  experienced  from  his  connex- 
ion with  the  Factory,  we  look  forward  to  deriving,  in 
foture,  the  greatest  advantages  from  his  talents  and 
acquirements. 

CSignedj         W.  Frazer, 

C.  Marjoribanks, 
"  Nov.  12th,  1827.  C.  Milletf.'' 

"  14th.  •  •  *  The  Asiatic  Journal  for  June 
defenda  me  s^ainst  Klaproth — ^the  article  is  probably 
by  Sir  Geoi^e. 


r 


I 


1827.]  PRIVATE   JOURNAL.  389 

"The  speeches  and  other  communications  from 
home,  in  the  World  newspaper,  are  very  edifying,  and 
cheering  to  persom,  in  such  circumstances  as  we  are. 

"  '  Our  feet  shod  with  the  Gospel  of  peace,'  is  ex- 
plained, as  always  walking  or  acting  under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  peace  of  the  Gospel — may  we  enjoy  it,  and 
pray  for  those  who  are  destitute  of  it ! 

"  In  the  Eclectic,  it  appears  a  dying  pastor  of  an 
Independent  church  said  to  his  wife,  '  Be  resigned 
to  the  will  of  God — His  will  is  the  loisest — His  will 
is  the  kindest — His  will  is  the  besV — and  soon  after  he 
expired.  I  have  recourse  to  sentimental  quotations, 
and  other  such-like  topics;  the  incidents  occurring 
here  are  so  few,  for  such  frequent  correspondence — I 
judge  it  the  most  edifying  mode  of  writing.  Pagan 
reading,  necessary  to  skill  in  the  language,  is  often 
very  unedifying.  I  have  met,  however,  with  a  piece 
to-day,  rather  interesting — a  letter  of  a  wife  to  her  hus- 
band, who  had  long  left  her  on  commercial  pursuits. 
She  was  early  educated  in  the  classics,  and  history ; 
and  she  lamented  bitterly  the  absence  of  her  husband, 
who  left  her,  with  a  son  and  daughter,  destitute,  and 
without  letters  from  him.  She  became  ill  with  anx- 
iety, and  left  this  letter  with  her  son,  to  be  read  by  the 
father  after  her  death.  She  hopes  to  be  re-united  to 
him  in  the  next  life,  so  great  is  her  affection  for  him, 
notwithstanding  his  neglect.  It  ia  a  curious  and  inter- 
esting document,  hut  I  have  not  time  to  translate  it. 

Byron's  Don  Juan,  was  advocated  by  Mr,  G at 

table  ;  the  rest  opposed  it,  and  lamented  his  lordship's 
unprincipled  character.  •  •  •  holds  his  hands  over  his 
eyes,  and  smiles,  when  I  make  any  remark  in  favour 
of  piety.  Oh,  that  their  minds  were  led  to  love  the 
truths  of  the  gospel.  Marjoribanks,  though  Scotch,  was 
brought  up  in  his  father's  family  as  an  Episcopalian  ; 


I 


390  PBIVATB   JODBMAL.  [IE 

but  he  diBclaima  the  high  preteosions  of  episcopi 
He  told  me,  that  when  he  waB  in  the  chair,  the  ol 
evening,  he  had  it  in  his  mind  to  ask  me  to  say  gr 

for  he  could  not  understand  why  C ,  (the  cl 

lain)  should  do  so,  and  I  not :  but  he  thought  f^un 
will  be  here  to>morrow — and  will  not  ask  the  sam 
and  the  contrast  will  be  more  glaring :  he  was  als 
favour  of  accepting  my  offer  to  officiate  last  y 
Sir  Wm.  too,  inclined — but  the  rest  were  afraid 
being  considered  Dissenters. 
.  "  May  we  be  not  only  resigned  and  contented, 
thankful.  I  fear  I  sin,  in  want  of  gratitude  to  C 
May  our  neighbours,  acquaintance,  and  friends,  ht 
blessed  with  the  knowledge  of  the  Gospel — a  lov< 
the  truth — and  a  well-founded  hope  of  heaven !  < 
have  mercy  on  the  heathen  »ound  us ;  those  attac 
to  our  household :  oh,  for  truly  Missionary  viewa 
these  subjects !" 

"  20th,  Sunday. — I  have  just  finished  my  Chii 
and  English  services ;  I  trust  to  the  edification  of 
hearers.  The  3rd  of  Daniel  was  very  appropriat 
idolatry.  The  Scriptures  are  woTiderfuUy  rich  and 
rious ;  the  more  one  has  occasion  to  study  them, 
more  this  app«ars.  Oh,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  i 
work  with  us,  and  the  hand  of  God  be  upon  us ! 

A  tract  entitled,  *OiTi»ti<m  Devotedness,'  has  appei 
— a  little  in  my  way — ^ultra  views  (as  some  deem  the 
— of  devoting  all  to  God — and  not  laying  up  treasi 
on  earth.  The  Eclectic  has  opposed  it  fiercely ; 
says,  the  man  who  wrote  it,  has  no  children, 
living  mother.  But  I  have  a  wife  and  children — 
yet  am  a  good  deal  of  an  anti-earth-treasure-hoar: 
I  am  sure,  my  beloved  *  *  *,  we  have  no  cause 
telf-aecnrity.  But  my  principles  go  to  '  Lending 
the  Lord'—'  He  will  provide.'    Yes,  say  the  others, 


I 
I 
I 


'  1827.]  CHHlijnAN   DBVOTEDNESa.  391 

your  inBtruraentality  ;  and  so  carpiDg,  and  caring,  be- 
comes a  duty  imposed  by  Providence.  'Jehovah  Jireh,' 
Bays  the  Bible — yes,  says  the  commentator :  the  Lord 
will  employ  i/ou  to  provide  ;  you  are  not  to  look  be- 
yond yourself  for  any  provision.  Now,  I  ask,  doea 
not  this  reasoning  convict  itself?  for  trusting  Provi- 
dence, according  to  it,  only  means,  trusting  to  one's 
Belf;  and  the  word  of  God  is  made  just  to  mean  no- 
thing at  all ! 

"  People  who  cannot  provide  for  their  own,  are  com- 
pelled to  adopt  a.  different  view  of  Providence  ;  but  I 
ehould  like  to  do  it,  not  from  compulsion,  but  from 
principle.      We  have  a  little  helpless  family.     The 

future Ah  !  what  do  we  know  ? — Who  can  tell 

UB  ? — Who  can  help  us  1 — Our  Father  in  heaven  can 
help  us — but  He  requires  us  to  await  his  will.  May 
we  do  it  with  sentiments  becoming  his  greatness  and 
his  goodness.  Oh,  my  dear  E ,  let  us  pray  for  en- 
larged hearts,  and  strong  faith,  and  heavenly  hopes. 
Eternity! — It  is  apostolic  fanaticism  (if  people  will  have 
it  to  be  fanaticism)  to  judge  temporal  comforts  as  no- 
thing, less  than  nothing,  and  very  vanity,  in  the  oppo- 
site scale.  See  the  three  Hebrew  youths  in  the  burn- 
ing fiery  furnace — they  lived  up  to  their  principles  ; 
and  the  angel  of  God  was  with  them.  Oh,  I  abomi- 
nate that  mode  of  reasoning,  which  says,  '  Oh,  yea, 
that  is  all  very  true  in  theory,  but  it  won't  do  for 
practice.'  What!  chriitian-theory  not  reducible  to 
practice  !  Christ's  precepts,  high-spun  impracticable 
dogmas !  Oh !  no,  let  it  not  be  said.  I  have  given 
way  to  these  lucubrations,  my  love ;  I  think  them  the 
words  of  truth  and  soberness.  Where  can  we  look 
for  help,  but  in  God  alone!  Let  us  honour  him — for 
he  says,  *  Them  that  honour  me,  I  will  honour.'  O 
yes,  it  is  all  very  fine  christian  oratory,  to  talk  of  ho- 


392  PRIVATE   JOUBNAL.  [1827. 

nouring  Providence ;  but  I  like  to  have  in  my  own 
]>osse8sion  a  moderate  fortune — ^then,  I  can  feel  easy 
and  comfortable  in  trusting  Providence — all  else  is 
fanaticism.  Sec,  &;c/  Now  is  not  this  a  faithful  pic- 
ture— ^not  a  flattering  likeness — of  the  great  majority 
of  our  friends  ?  It  is  possible  they  may  have  the 
laugh  against  me,  for  these  high  notions,  when  I,  and 
mine,  are  reduced  to  want.  But  I  deny  that  poverty 
is  a  curse — ^it  is  often  a  blessing. 

^^  Afa,  the  native  christian  is  here ;  he  speaks  of 
one  who  wishes  to  be  baptized.  The  weather  is  hot, 
and  I  feel  quite  uncomfortable.  I  have  been  detained 
a  long  time  by  a  Chevalier  de  Rienzi,  a  traveller  in 
Arabia,  India,  &;c.,  asking  a  thousand  questions.  A 
Syrian-Chaldean  christian  has  been  here  too,  begging 
to  get  money  to  ransom  his  family  from  the  Turks. 
He  is  a  native  of  Nineveh.  The  Lord's  blessing 
rest  on  you,  and  the  children,  and  our  household !" 

"  24th. — Afa  has  brought  a  small  work  on  the  Ga- 
lations,  written  by  himself.     The  people  are  here  for 

annual  presents  who  brought  the  tea,  See,  to  me." 

«  •  •  •  • 

Such  interruptions,  as  those  noticed  above,  were  of 
constant  occurrence  in  China,  which  was  annually 
visited  by  foreigners,  among  whom  were  frequently 
persons  of  distinction,  and  literary  celebrity,  from  all 
parts  of  the  world,  who  usually  brought  introductions 
to  Dr.  Morrison,  and  received  from,  him  such  aid  in 
their  various  pursuits,  as  it  was  in  his  power  to 
render. 

The  present  year  closed  with  information  of  the 
failure  of  two  Institutions,  in  which  Dr.  Morrison  na- 
turally felt  great  interest,  as  well  from  the  conviction 
that  they  were  calculated  to  be  eminently  useful,  as 
from  the  prominent  part  he  took  in  originating  them. 


1827.]  LETTER    TO   MR.    FISUER.  ^93 

His  feettnga  on  this,  aod  on  other  subjects  bear- 
ing ou  his  public  services,  are  expressed  in  the  fol- 
lowing letters. 

"  Dear   Fisheb,  "  Macao,  Dec.  22,  1827. 

"  I  have  to  thank  you  for  your  letter  of  June  19th, 
which  arrived  two  days  ago.  The  Quarterly  for  June 
accompanied  it.  That  production,  seems  unusually 
hostile  to  all  but  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  aristocracy 
of  England.  I  'perceive  they  reproach  me  with  be- 
ing 'self-instructed.'  The  principle  assumed,  in  the 
article  on  the  Bible  Society,  is,  that  no  translations 
should  be  used,  but  such  as  are  perfect — a  principle 
that  would  lay  aside,  1  suppose,  every  translation  un- 
der heaven,  not  excepting  the  authorized  version  of 
the  English  Church. 

"  I  have  received  a  letter  of  thanks  from  tlie  Royal 
Asiatic  Society,  for  the  Map  of  Tartary.     Concerning 
that  too,  the  Quarterly  has  quoted  a  letter  of  mine  to 
enrich  its  pages,  but  has  suppressed  the  writer's  name. 
"  I  sympathize  with  you,  in  all  the  grave  topics 
which  fill  your  letters  ;  and  see  every  day  more  reason 
to  raise  the  mind  to  the  great  Source  of  all  good.    The 
Gospel  furnishes  a  present  rest  to  the  soul  that  lives 
by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.     There  is  no  condition  of  life 
without  most  serious  causes  of  disquietude — and  in  all, 
there  are  some  advantages  peculiar  to  eachi  many 
are  the  comforts  of  a  family,  and  many  are  the  sources 
of  an.xiety  in  it — but  there  is  a  great  utility  in  afQic- 
tion:  my  mind  is  to-day  much  agitated  by  the  present 
condition  of  our  chief.  Sir  William  F.     About  a  fort- 
night ago,  he  was  seized  »vith  mental  derangement, 
.  and  wearied  nature  now  sinks  under  the  perpetual  ex- 
I  citement,  night  and  day,  to  which  he  has  been  subject. 
j  His  life  is  despaired  of."     *     •     • 


394  DSATH   OF  SIR  WM.   FRASER.  [1827. 

"  24th. — Yesterday  morning,  twenty  minutes  after 
midnight.  Sir  W.  F.  expired. 

"  Your*8  sincerely, 
"  Thos.  Fisher,  Esq.  "  Robert  Morrison." 

The  following  notice  of  this  sudden  and  melan- 
choly event  appeared  in  the  Canton  Register,  for  Ja- 
nuary, 1828.  "  We  have  the  melancholy  task  of  an- 
nouncing the  unexpected  death  of  Sir  Wm.  Fraser, 
Bart.,  chief  of  the  British  Factory.  He  died  of  about 
a  month^s  illness,  on  Sunday,  the  22nd  of  December, 
and  was  interred  in  the  Hon.  Company's  burial- 
ground,  on  Thursday  at  noon.  The  funeral  service 
was  read  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison.  The  ship  which 
was  to  have  conveyed  him  to  England,  fired  minute 
guns  in  the  Roads,  at  the  time  of  the  funeral ;  which 
was  attended  by  the  judge  of  Macao,  the  European 
residents,  and  the  gentlemen  of  the  Factory,  then 
there.  Sir  William  was  about  forty  years  of  age,  and 
possessed  of  an  ample  fortune ;  but  ^  a  man's  life  con- 
sists not  in  the  abundance  of  the  things  he  possesseth.' 
*  In  the  midst  of  life,  we  are  in  death.'  This  event 
proclaims  to  all  the  Saviour's  admonition,  ^  Be  ye  also 
ready.' 


» w 


TO  THE  REV.  A.  BRAN  DRAM. 

"  My  Dear  Sm,        "  Macao,  China,  Dec.  22,  1827. 

"  Your  letter,  of  June  7th,  arrived  yesterday ;  and 
as  the  Kelly  Castle  is  on  the  point  of  sailing,  I  write 
to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  it.  The  difficulties  you 
have  encountered,  and  the  reproach  you  have  been 
subjected  to,  for  the  furtherance  of  the  cause  of  Christ, 
operate  differently  on  the  carnal  and  on  the  spiritual 
mind.  The  Quarterly  of  June,  which,  hypocritically 
admits    the   good    principle   of  the    Bible  Society, 


I 


1827.]  REiURKS   ok   THE   "QUARTERLY."  395 

whilst  it  blames  all  that  it  has  done,  has,  I  perceive, 
condescended  to  reproach  the  humble  Dr.  Morrison, 
whose  *  humble  pretensions,  in  any  other  case,  should 
have  disarmed  criticism.'  He  claimed  not  to  be  a  per- 
fect Chinese  scholar,  nor  to  be  a  perfect  translator ; 
and  therefore  he  should  not  have  translated  for  the 
press.  Admirable  logic  !  Aa  if  any  version — even 
the  English,  were  perfect— or  the  Vulgate  perfect.  If 
none  but  faultless,  perfect  versions  are  to  be  sent  forth, 
the  principle  wilt  as  completely  interdict  the  Bible  iu 
vulgar  tongues,  aa  any  papal  bull  that  was  ever  pro- 
mulgated. I  whli  the j/erfectioniatg  all  success;  not 
in  vituperation,  but  in  making  perfect  translations, 
whenever  they  may  condescend  to  undertake  the 
work.     •         •         • 

"  The  Rev.  Mr.  Tomlin,  and  Mr.  Smith  at  Singa- 
pore, have  been  actively  employed  iu  distributing  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  and  other  christian  books  in  Chi- 
nese ;  and  they  write,  as  do  the  friends  of  the  Anglo- 
Chinese  College,  in  the  most  encouraging  strain  : 
simply,  because  Chinese  Bibles  are  in  request;  and 
Gods  word ;  i.e.  a  translation,  substantially  conveying 
the  sense  of  Divine  revelation,  and  the  good  tidings 
of  salvation  by  Christ  Jesus,  who  died  for  us,  must 
do  good  to  perishing  sinners,  and  save  some.  Such 
seed  shall  not  be  sown  in  vain. 

"  Excuse  the  brevity  of  this,  as  I  am  straitened  for 
time.  May  the  Bible  soon  be  read  by  every  human 
being ;  and  therefore,  as  a  means  to  the  end,  I  wish 
all  success  to  the  Bible  Society.  The  Lord  bless  you! 
"  Very  truly  your's, 

'*  R.  MoBKlSON." 


S9fi  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1827. 

T.  FISHER,  ESQ.,  TO  THE  REV.  DR.  MORRISON. 

"  My  Dear  Friend,  ''  London,  Dec  9,  1 827. 

**  My  last  letter  was  dated  the  28th  of  last  month  : 
since  the  despatch  of  that  communication,  I  have  at- 
tended a  meeting  of  the  Committee  of  the  Language 
Institution ;  and  felt,   I  assure  you,  at  a  proposition 
which  was  then  and  there  made.     It  was  nothing  less 
than  the  dissolution  of  the  Institutiotiy  on  the  ground 
that  it  was  USELESS!     ♦     •     ♦     I  need  scarcely 
add,  that  it  was  firmly  resisted,  and  was  withdrawn. 
Henry  Townley  was  there,  and  made  some  very  per- 
tinent remarks  on  the  great  benefit  that  resulted  from 
trying  the  powers  of  candidates  for  Missionary  ser- 
vice, for  the  acquisition  of  language,  previous  to  their 
entrance  on  the  field   of  Missionary   labours.      He 
stated  an  instance,  much  in  point,  in  support  of  his 
observations  :  It  was  that  of  an  untried  individual,  who 
was  sent  out  by  the  London  Society,  and  who  returned 
without  effecting  the  least  good,  owing  to  an  incapa- 
city for  the  acquisition  of  language ;  and  that  after 
he  and  his  family  had  occasioned  to  the  Society  an 
expenditure  of  not  less  than  one  thousand  pounds, 
which  sum  exceeds  the  cost  of  two  whole  years'  opera- 
tion of  your  Institution :  and  another  case  in  wliich  the 
Society  avoided  a  similar  expenditure,  by  trying  be- 
forehand, the  ability  of  the  candidate  to  acquire  the 
language.     Upon  going  further  into  the  question,  we 
found  that  twenty  pupils  had  availed  themselves  ef 
the  advantages   of    the   Institution ;   comparing  this 
number,  with  the  expense  attending  it,  and  both,  with 
the  number  of  individuals  who  profited  by  other  In- 
stitutions,  and    the   comparative   expense   attending 
them,  we  came  to  a  conclusion,  that  we  had  done  great 
things ;  and  that,  therefore,  there  was  not  the  least 


I 


I 


1827.]     FAILtJBK   OF   THB   SINQAPOHK    mSTITUTION.       397 

occasion   to  be  dispirited,  but,  on  the  contrary,  much 
encouragement  to  persevere. 

"  Ever  your's  affectionately, 

"  T.  FisHKn." 

FROM  DR.  MORRISON. 
"  My   Dear  Friend,  "  Macao,  Nov.  I3th.  1828. 

"  1  have  had  the  pleasure  of  receiving  letters  from 
you,  bearing  date  November  and  December,  1827, 
and  March  and  April,  1828  ;  for  all  of  which  I  sin- 
cerely thauk  you.  Yesterday,  I  received  a  letter  from 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Ashton,  informing  me  that  what  you 
feared,  had  actually  occurred — the  dissolution  of  the 
Language  Institution. 

"  It  is  to  me  a  matter  of  regret,  that  the  christians 
of  England  should  so  far  depart  from  the  maxims 
of  wisdom,  as  to  seek  the  end  without  the  means. 
But  I  submit.  Perhaps  tlie  Institution  was  not,  by 
me,  made  sufficiently  a  subject  of  prayer.  For  God's 
blessing  is  essential  to  success ;  He  will  be  enquired  of 
by  devout  prayer  for  his  blessing. 

Another  of  ray  attempts  to  promote  the  diffusion  of 
the  Gospel  has  also  failed,  viz.  the  Singapore  Institu- 
tion. I  spent,  in  1823,  the  large  sum  of  5,900  dol- 
lars, to  promote  christian  education  in  the  Straits  of 
Malacca,  all  of  which,  I  fear,  will  be  completely  lost 
to  the  cause  of  native  education,  by  the  mis-manage- 
ment of  persons,  who  did  not  feel  interested  in  the 
object,  appointed  by  the  late  Sir  Stamford  Raffles  to 
be  trustees.  The  Anglo-Chinese  College  is  going  on 
satisfactorily  ;  Mr.  Marjoribanks  passed  Malacca  a  few 
weeks  ago,  after  visiting  India,  and  he  told  me  the 
College  afforded  him  more  satisfaction,  than  any  thing 
else  he  saw  of  a  similar  kind,  during  his  travels. 
"  Your'a  faithfully, 

"  Thomas  Fisher,  Esq.  "  R.  Morrison." 


398  PROPOSAL   FOR   DISPOSING    OP  [1827. 

FROM  THE  REV.  ROBERT  BURN. 

"  My  Dear  Sm,  "  Singapore,  Sept.  24th,  1827. 

"  Your  letter  dated  in  June  last,  I  received  last  week. 
*  *  *  Having  mentioned  the  Institution,  I  will  tell  you 
its  history  from  the  time  you  left,  in  as  few  words  as  I 
can.  The  loan,  which  I  had  the  pleasure  to  advance, 
was  paid  down  immediately,  and  a  promise  obtained 
from  Lieut.  Jackson  to  put  it  to  use  without  delay.  But 
a  promise  from  him,  I  need  scarcely  say,  was  no  better 
than  a  sluggard^s  wish :  a  more  indolent  man  I  never 
saw.  Mr.  Napier  and  myself,  did  all  we  could  to  set 
him  to  work,  but  in  vain ;  he  made  a  beginning,  and 
then  stopped  again  ;  he  returned  to  it,  but  accomplished 
little  or  nothing :  thus  it  went  on  till  the  governor  came, 
to  whom  we  applied  for  that  portion  of  the  funds 
which  had  been  spent  upon  schools,  &c.,  amounting 
to  4,000  dollars.  This  he  granted,  after  many  letters 
and  much  discussion ;  and  even  acceded  to  the 
justice  of  paying  the  monthly  allowance  of  300  dol- 
lars. This  sum  of  4,000  dollars  was  immediately 
divided  between  the  treasurers  and  Lieut.  Jackson, 
in  discharge  of  their  claims.  At  the  same  time,  the 
governor  offered  to  purchase  the  building  and  pre- 
mises for  a  government-house  ;  but  upon  such  condi- 
tions as  the  trustees  could  not  accede  to  ;  viz.  to  pay 
back  each  subscriber  his  subscription,  and  take  the 
building  in  lieu  of  the  Company's  donations.  They 
have  since  offered  the  whole  estate  for  15,000  dollars, 
or  else  to  rent  the  house  for  260  dollars  per  annum ; 
after  they  (the  government)  have  completed  it,  accord- 
ing to  their  own  plan.  These  proposals  are  still  under 
consideration ;  but  we  are  expecting  an  answer  from 
the  governor  daily.  Should  he  accept  the  former  of 
these  proposals,  it  is  intended,  with  your  consent^  who 


I 


1627.3  '™B  SINOAFOBB  INSTlTOnOV.  399 

are  now  the  only  patron  and  chief  subacriber,  to  veet 
the  13,000  dollars  in  government  securities  at  6  per 
cent.,  and  with  this  interest  to  commence  again  on  a 
more  moderate  and  practicable  scale. 

"  Within  the  last  six  mouths  we  have  had  some  va- 
luable addition  to  our  society.  Our  new  conunandii^ 
officer,  and  his  lady,  are  both  lovers  of  God  and  hia 
truth.  A  young  man,  of  the  name  of  Watts,  who  has 
come  to  settle  here,  as  supercargo  of  a  Danish  house, 
19  also  on  the  Lord's  side :  and  about  a  month  ago, 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Caswell,*  relations  of  the  governor  now 
stationed  here  ;  and  they,  though  young  in  knowledge 
and  experience,  are  yet  most  fervent  in  spirit,  and 
full  of  love  to  Christ  and  his  cause.  Yon  will  be  gra- 
tified to  find  that  three  of  the  officers  of  the  General 
Kyd,  have  been  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth,  during  their  voyage  out. 

"  Mr.  Clark,  who  will  bring  you  this,  hag  been 
staying  here  for  the  last  fortnight,  and  has  attended 
all  our  prayer-meetings,  &,c.  They  all  three  have 
met  with  much  persecution  from  the  captain  and  other 
officers,  but  persevere,  notwithstanding,  in  prayer  and 
reading  the  words  of  eternal  life.  Oh,  surely,  my 
dear  Sir,  the  day  is  fast  approaching,  when  the  know- 
ledge of  the  Lord  shall  cover  the  earth  as  the  watera 
cover  the  sea.  In  Bengal  too,  there  is  quite  a  miracu- 
lous change  among  the  natives ;  whole  villages  coming 
forward  unsolicited,  yea,  and  unvisited  too,  by  any 
Missionaries,  begging  christian  instruction,  and  actu- 
ally offering  their  temples  for  christian  worship.  But, 
doubtless,  you  will  have  heard  and  read  of  all  this. 
Let  us,  my  dear  Sir,  hail  these  tokens  of  the  coming 
of  the  Son  of  Man,  with  joy  and  thankfulness ;  and  in 
due  time,  we  also  shall  reap,  if  we  faint  not.     When 

•  They,  with  several  otber  paasengers,  were  loat  in  the  Guilford, 
in  1830. 


400  RB8PECT1NO   THE   INSTITUTION,  [1827. 

the  nation  to  whom  you  have  heen  sent,  shall  turn  to 
the  Lord,  then  will  you  be  remembered  with  affectionate 
gratitude;  and  the  treasure  you  have  prepared  for 
them,  though  now  unheeded  and  despised,  will  endear 
your  memory  to  their  hearts  for  ever.  One  soweth, 
and  another  reapeth :  but  the  time  is  at  hand,  when 
both  they  that  have  sown,  and  prepared  the  soil,  and 
they  that  reap,  shall  rejoice  together.  That  you  may, 
that  you  will,  be  of  this  happy  number,  I  not  only 
hope  but  feel  assured:  may  the  prospect  of  it  en- 
courage, comfort,  quicken,  and  make  you  to  abound 
in  the  work  of  the  Lord.  My  christian  love  to  Mrs. 
Morrison,  and  every  holy  wish  for  you  both.     From 

"  Your's  affectionately, 
"  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison.  "  Robert  Burn.'' 

"  My  Dear  Sra,  "  Singapore,  29th  Sept  1827. 

"  Mr.  Maxwell,  who  proceeds  home  by  the  way  of 
China,  as  passenger  in  the  Lord  Lowther,  and  also 
Captain  Flint,  will  inform  you,  that  all  our  endeavours 
to  make  an  arrangement  with  the  government  re- 
garding the  Institution,  have  proved  unsuccessful ;  and 
that  it  is  still  lying  in  the  state  you  left  it  two  years 
ago.  A  plan  has  been  suggested  for  the  purpose  of 
finishing  the  building,  which  is,  to  unite  the  funds 
subscribed  for  a  monument  to  Sir  Stamford,  and  others 
subscribed  for  a  library,  to  defray  the  expense  neces- 
sary for  finishing  the  building;  and  to  appropriate 
it  to  the  purposes  of  library  and  reading-room,  when 
completed,  as  well  as  a  town-hall,  &c.  On  a  suppo- 
sition that,  including  the  money  already  expended, 
with  the  debts  due  to  Mr.  Burn  and  Lieut.  Jackson, 
and  the  sum  necessary  to  finish  the  building,  and  pur- 
chase books,  &c.,  the  whole  would  amount  to  £25,000. 
It  is  proposed  to  divide  the  whole  into  shares  of  £100 
each,  to  bear  interest  at  6  per  cent.,  and  be  transfer- 


LETTER    FROM    Ult.    MORRISON. 


401 


I 


1628.] 

able.  Tlie  fund  necessary  to  defray  the  [mynient 
of  interest,  and  keep  up  the  establiahuient,  to  be 
collected  by  a  monthly  subscription  at  Singapore.  *  * 
A  bust  of  Sir  Stamford  to  be  put  up  in  the  library 
or  other  principal  room.  This  appears  almost  the 
only  plan  I  can  conceive,  to  prevent  a  total  loss  of 
the  capital  already  sunk.         •         •         • 

"  As  you  are  the  largest  proprietor,  no  steps  can  be 
taken  without  your  sanction  ;  and  as  both  Capt.  Flint 
and  Mr.  Maxwell  are  trustees,  and  will  be  on  the  spot  to 
confer  with,  it  would  be  very  desirable  that  you  should 
decide  on  something  definitive,  if  possible.  I  do  not 
think  there  would  be  any  difficulty  in  raising  the  sub- 
scriptions. Many  strangers  who  visit  this  in  searcli 
of  health,  would  be  glad  of  a  place  of  the  kind  to 
pass  a  forenoon,  and  subscribe  during  their  stay ; 
and  I  should  think  all  persons  residing  at  Singa- 
pore would  do  so,  there  being  no  place  for  a  public 
jBceting  in  the  settlement  at  present." 


To  the  above  proposal  Dr.  Morrison  refused  his  con- 
lent  ;  his  reasons  for  so  doing,  as  stated  to  Mr.  Burn 
md  the  other  trustees,  will  be  found  in  the  annexed 
attract  of  a  letter  to  the  officers  of  the  Anglo-Chinese 
Sollege, 


"China,  Nov.  17,1827. 
"  Mv  Dear  Fellow  Sebvants, 
*'  The  object  of  our  Institution  is  the  glory  of  God 
Fetnd  the  welfare  of  man.  Literature,  heaven's  gift  to 
rational  creatures,  is  the  instrument  we  desire  to  em- 
ploy, according  to  the  constitution  of  our  College  and 
its  fundamental  statute,  to  diffuse  useful  and  saving 
knowledge. 

VOL.  II.  2d 


402  C0BRE8P0NDBNCB.  [1828. 

"  The  spirit  which  becomes  the  officers  of  our  CJol- 
lege,  is  that  of  christian  charity,  forbearance,  modera* 
tion,  and  patience.  Bringing  to  our  work  a  desire  to 
imitate  the  blessed  Jesus,  in  meekness  and  lowliness ; 
remembering  his  agony  in  the  garden,  and  passion  on 
the  cross.  The  Anglo- Chinese  College  departs  from 
its  essential  character,  when  it  departs  from  a  christian 
and  humble  spirit.  In  these  sentiments,  my  brethren, 
we  are,  I  believe,  all  agreed ;  and  are  truly  sorry,  when- 
ever we  are  overtaken  by  temptation  to  pride  and  self- 
sufficiency — ^the  first  and  greatest  sin  of  rational  crea- 
tures— ^the  sin  of  satan,  and  the  object  of  God's  hatred 
and  resistance. 

"The  failure  of  the  Singapore  Institution  alters 
very  materially  the  circumstances  of  our  College  since 
I  visited  it  in  1823.  On  this  subject,  I  have  to-day 
written  to  the  Rev.  R.  Bum,  at  Singapore,  and  de- 
sired him  to  lay  my  sentiments  before  the  Trustees, 
which  are  as  follow. 

"  *  Considering  the  large  amount  of  my  subscription 
to  the  Institution,  I  do  not  think  it  quite  right  in  the 
Trustees,  to  carry  on  these  deliberations,  without  let- 
ting me  know  officially  what  they  are  doing.  I  am  in- 
clined to  think,  that  their  proposal  (to  the  government) 
may  be  considered  a  total  abandonment  of  Sir  Stam- 
ford's original  plan,  as  agreed  to  by  us  all ;  for  the 
Company  will  no  longer  be  a  subscriber  to  it,  and  it 
will  be  totally  unconnected  with  the  government. 
The  idea  of  selling  the  estate  and  premises,  and  be- 
ginning afresh,  is  forming  anew  Institution ;  to  which 
the  old  arrangements  cannot  bind  me,  unless  I  choose 
to  do  as  the  new  arrangement  supposes.  The  Anglo- 
Chinese  College,  I  consider  now  quite  absolved  from 
any  obligations,  because  the  other  contracting  party 
has  failed  to  fulfil  what  was  specified.     The  removal 


so 


PRIVATK    JOURNAI.. 


I 


of  the  AngloCliinese  College,  is  therefore  now  quite 
out  of  the  (jueBtion.  I  should  prefer  selling  the  whole 
estate  to  goyemment — or  rather,  as  government  pro- 
posed, let  it  have  the  estate  for  the  Company's  sub- 
ecription,  and  pay  all  those  who  subscribed  their 
money  back  again ;  and  begin  with  a  new  proposal 
for  the  benefit  of  Singapore.'" 

L 

I  "I  regret  that  the  College  had  not  the  honour  of 
receiving,  pro  tempore,  the  first  lady*  who  came  to 
Ultra  Ganges  India,  for  the  sole  purpose  of  origin- 
ating christian  female  education  in  the  Straits;  and 
who  came  in  consequence  of  the  zealous  efforts  of  the 
founder,  to  procure  from  England  such  a  probable 
blessing  to  settlers  and  natives, 

'*  The  Chinese  letter,  containing  bills  to  the  amount 

[-of  £200,  has  been  forwarded.  The  Chinese  at  Ma- 
lacca request  me  not  to  pay  but  to  certain  persons.  It 
should  he  explained  to  them,  that  I  must  pay  the 
person  who  brings  the  order  ;  whether  he  be  the  person 
really  or  falsely  named,  I  have  no  means  of  disco- 
vering, as  they  are  all  alike  unknown  to  me." 
•  •  »  # 

When  Dr.  Morrison  had  completed  his  "  plodding 
task,  the  Dictionary,"  and  other  philological  works, 
to  facilitate  the  acquisition  of  the  langu^e  to  future 
students;  he  next  turned  his  attention  to  the  instruc- 
tion of  the  natives,  both  christian  and  others,  by 
means,  chiefly,  of  the  press  ;  for  the  pagan  and  popish 
despotisms,  under  which  he  lived,  entirely  precluded 
an  attempt  at  oral  instruction,  beyond  the  persons  in  his 
i4>vm  employ,  or  those  who  occasionally  ventured  to 
»in  them.     With  a  view  to  instruct  and  guide  the 

*  Aputmeats  were  provided  for  her  at  the  house  of  one  of  the 
HiMionaries. 

2d2 


404  coRRBSPOin>ENCB.  [1828. 

Chinese  christian  into  clearer  views  of  Divine  truth,  he 
prepared  a  system  of  reference  for  the  Bible — ^to  each 
book,  chapter,  and  verse,  with  chronological,  historical, 
and  literary  notices  ;  besides  continuing  the  CJommen- 
tary  which  he  began  in  the  winter.  During  the  summer 
of  this  year  he  also  commenced  a  Dictionary  of  the 
provincial  dialect  of  Canton,  with  the  hope  of  its  tend- 
ing to  the  final  object  of  the  Mission.  He  endea- 
voured to  employ  every  practicablemeans  for  extensively 
distributing  the  sacred  scriptures  and  religious  tracts — 
not  only  throughout  Corea,  Cochin-china,  Siam,  the 
Loo  Choo  Islands,  &c.,  &c.,  but  also  sending  them 
into  the  very  heart  of  the  empire,  by  means  of  the 
native  traders  who  resorted  to  Canton  annually,  in 
great  numbers.  Dr.  Morrison  often  expressed  deep  re- 
gret that  the  British  churches  permitted  him  to  labour 
so  long  without  assistance,  after  it  was  ascertained  that 
the  Mission  could  be  carried  on  without  attracting  the 
notice  of  government.  He  frequently  urged  the  de- 
sirableness of  securing  premises  in  Macao  for  a  Mission- 
ary station,  and  having  some  one  with  himself  pre- 
paring to  carry  on  the  work,  in  case  of  his  removal  or 
death.  The  American  churches,  however,  were  not 
remiss  in  responding  to  an  appeal  addressed  to  them 
the  preceding  year  on  this  subject,  to  which  Dr. 
Morrison  had  the  satisfaction  of  receiving  the  follow- 
ing reply : — 

*^  Missionary  RoomSy  Boston,  June  17th,  1828. 

^^Dear  Sm, 

^^  Your  kind  and  fraternal  letter  of  November  20th, 
1-827,  addressed  to  the  American  Board  of  Commis- 
sioners for  Foreign  Missions,  was  received  at  the  Mis- 
sionary Rooms  on  the  29th  of  March.  When  I 
returned,  soon  after,  from  a  journey  in  the  s^lrvice  of 


1828.]    LETTER    FROM   THE   A.    BOARD   OF   MISSIONS.      405 

the  Board,  I  was  extremely  happy  to  learn,  that  an 
application  had  been  made  by  yourself  and  others  for 
an  American  Mission  to  China.  This  application  was 
especially  gratifying,  as  it  seemed  to  be  a  providential 
exhortation  to  proceed  in  the  course  upon  which  we 
were  entering.  About  the  middle  of  October,  our 
Board  held  its  annual  meeting  at  New  York,  during 
which  a  new  and  extraordinary  impulse  was  given  to 
the  Missionary  cause.  Among  the  fields  there  pre- 
sented, as  particularly  calling  for  American  euterprize 
was  China.  Large  subscriptions  were  made  for  aug- 
mented efforts,  with  a  special  view  to  the  new  fields 
for  evangelical  labour.  Is  it  not  a  token  that  God 
favours  these  designs,  that  he  disposed  you,  one  month 
afterwards,  to  write  a  letter  of  invitation  and  encourage- 
ment? 

"  Be  assured,  my  dear  Sir,  that  so  soon  as  we  can 
find  two  men  of  suitable  character  and  qualifications, 
we  shall  send  them  forth,  to  enter  upon  the  various 
plans  of  usefulness  which  you  have  pointed  out.  "     • 

■Be  assured,  my  dear  Sir,  that  if  God  so  far  honours 
Us,  as  to  enable  us  to  send  a  Mission  to  China,  we 
ahall  esteem  it  a  great  privilege  to  have  the  Mis- 
sionaries to  enjoy  the  aid  of  your  experience,  and  the 
comfort  of  your  society.  We  shall  confidently  expect, 
2  shall  earnestly  pray,  that  they  may  be  closely 
united  with  you  in  the  bonds  of  christian  affection, 
and  in  all  the  important  views  of  christian  truth  and 

fduty.  How  intimately  should  we  sympathise  with 
'ou,  if  it  should  please  God  to  give  you  the  great 

'sotisfaction  of  seeing,  after  many  years  of  sedulous 
labour  for  China,  the  work  of  true  conversion  makii^  , 

progress    among    the   numerous    iuliabitants.       This 

[blessed  sight  will  hereafter  greet  the  eye  of  christian 
mevolence;  and,  I  doubt  not,  the  agency  which  you 


406  C0RRE8P0NDBNCB.  [1828. 

have  had  in  preparing  the  way,  will  furnish  matter 
of  everlasting  gratitude  and  joy. 

^^  There  is  one  branch  of  possible  christian  effort 
at  Canton  mentioned  by  you,  which  had  not  occurred 
to  our  minds ;  viz.,  the  establishment  of  an  English 
press.  Under  judicious  mani^ement,  I  think  such  a 
press  might  be  exceedingly  useful.       *      *      * 

^^  We  pray  that  your  life  and  health  may  be  spared, 
and  that  God  may  smile  upon  all  your  attempts  to 
spread  the  knowledge  of  the  Redeemer. 

^^  Your'si  with  christian  salutations, 

"  Jkr.  Evartb,  Cor.  Sec.** 

Leang-Af&  had  retired  to  the  country  during  the 
summer  of  the  present  year,  for  the  purpose  of  open- 
ing a  school,  and  instructing  his  own  family  in  the 
principles  of  the  christian  religion.  From  a  ^ry  inte- 
resting  letter  he  addressed  to  Dr.  Morrison  at  this  time, 
breathing  a  truly  christian  spirit,  some  paragraphs 
are  here  introduced,  which  show  the  difficulties  he 
encountered  in  endeavouring  to  communicate  those 
principles  to  his  countrymen,  by  which  his  own  mind 
had  been  emancipated  from  the  delusions  of  pagan 
superstition. 

''September  2nd,  1828. 

♦  *  *  * 

^^  But  the  people  here  are  all  deceived,  and  sunk  in 
stupidity,  respecting  vain  idols.  Although  I  take  the 
truth  and  exhort  them,  all  my  strength  is  too  small  to 
overcome  such  a  multitude.  Besides,  at  present, 
during  the  7th  moon,  the  Budhists  deceive  people  by 
the  rites  of  the  Yu  Ian  shing  hwuy.  Every  family, 
without  exception,  asserts  that  it  is  absolutely  neces-* 
sary  to  exert  their  utmost  strength  in  burning  multi- 
tudes of  paper,  before  the  tablets  of  their  ancestors, 
and  also  bum  some  in  the  streets,  that  destitute  ghosts, 


3-] 


LETTER    FROM    LEAMU-APA. 


coming  and  going,  as  well  as  the  spirit  of  their  anceslors 
ill  Hades,  may  receive  thcge  things,  and  have  clothes 
to  wear  and  money  to  spend  (in  the  invisible  state 
whither  the  action  of  fire  sends  them).  If  on  the 
15th  night  of  the  7th  moon  these  things  be  not  done, 
the  hearts  of  the  multitude  are  disquieted  and  un- 
happy, an  omission  being  deemed  a  want  of  filial  piety 
and  affection,  and  a  virtuous  dbposition.  When  I 
look  on  stupid  nonsense  I  am  exceedingly  grieved,  and 
at  a  loss  ^vhat  to  do.  I  can  only  meditate,  and  at- 
tend to  my  own  conduct,  night  and  day ;  carefully 
and  firmly  adhere  to  the  truth, — look  up  and  pray 
to  the  Lord  on  high  to  convert  the  hearts  of  men, 
and  turn  their  feet  into  the  straight  road  which  will 
lead  them  away  from  everlasting  misery.  On  these 
accounts  I  now  write  especially  to  you,  and  earnestly 
entreat  you  also  to  pray  to  the  Lord  to  have  mercy 
upon  mankind,  and  cause  the  gospel  to  spread  in  every 
direction,  and  convert  their  hearta,  and  deliver  them 
from  those  hnrtful  stupifying  deceits. 

"  Let  us  also  be  diligent  to  adorn  ourselves  with 
good  works,  and  exert  our  whole  soul  and  strength  in 
proclaiming  the  Gospel,  hoping  to  obtain  everlasting 
felicity.    Amen. 

"  Friend  Keu*  bids  me  present  his  respects  to  Dr. 
and  Mrs.  Morrison,  wishing  them  a  golden  tranquillity." 

By  the  Company's  direct  ships  which  arrived  at  the 
I  close  of  the  summer  seasoD,  the  usual  influx  of  letters, 
periodical  and  other  publications,  from  England,  gave 
I  an  impulse  to  the  mind  which  then  began  to  flag,  under 
the  enervating  influence  of  eight  months  of  perpetual 
heat,  even  to  Dr.  Morrison,  who  possessed  a  sound- 
ness of  constitution  which  enabled  him   to  set   heat 


*  A  relative  of  Ala's  who  liad  recently  renounced  idolatry. 


408  coRRE8POin>SNCfi.  [1828. 

and  confinement  at  defiance,  as  well  as  a  mind  so 
activei  that  the  want  of  external  excitement  was 
supplied  by  the  use  of  books  and  the  pen — thus  pos- 
sessing in  himself  the  main  sources  of  independence 
and  happiness — ^this  event  was  no  unwelcome  variety, 
any  further  than  the  separation  from  his  family,  oc- 
casioned by  it.  His  sentiments  regarding  the  political 
changes  which  had  recently  taken  place  in  England, 
are  expressed  in  the  following  letter  to  Sir  George 
Staunton. 

"  My  Dsar  Sm,  **  Canton,  China,  Oct  11th,  1828. 

^^  Your  kind  letter  of  March  2 1  st,  arrived  on  the 
9th  of  September,  and  afibrded  me  much  satisfaction, 
by  assuring  me  of  your  continued  health,  and  of  the 
interest  which  you  take  in  my  public  labours  to  di- 
fuse  christian  knowledge  and  general  literature  in 
these  parts  of  the  world. 

^^  In  the  name  of  the  Anglo-chinese  College,  I  re- 
turn you  the  cordial  thanks  of  that  Institution  for 
your  third  donation  of  £200.  The  youths  who  are 
on  the  foundation,  and  receive  literary  and  christian 
education,  have  reason  to  bless  the  name  of  Sir  Geo. 
Staunton.  #  ♦  ♦ 

^^  There  can  be  little  doubt  but  that  the  difiusion 
of  knowledge  will  produce  equal  laws  and  liberal 
institutions  every  where.  And  I  rejoice  with  you  in 
the  late  repeal  of  an  offensive  and  impious  statute. 
I  hope  the  Catholics  too,  in  spite  of  their  own  folly, 
will  enjoy  the  privileges  of  good  citizens,  as  long  as 
they  behave  as  such ;  and  if  individuals  ofiend,  let 
them  be  punished  in  their  own  persons,  not  all  per- 
sons who  belong  to  the  Latin  church. 

The  Register*  I  viewed  as  you  do— certainly  a  step 

*  Canton  newspaper. 


I 


1828.]  LETTER   FROM    DR.    MORRISON.  409 

to  improvement;  and  though  it  be  a  feeble  attempt 
— ^it  is  a  new  thing  in  the  world,  and  may  lead  to 
something  better.  I  sincerely  wish  that  the  political 
power  you  refer  to  for  the  good  end  proposed,  may 
eventually  be  poBseseed. 

"  Enclosed  is  a  likeness  of  the  unsuccessful  asserter 
of  the  rights  of  his  family.  His  death  was  cruel.* 
The  Chinese  heart  is  lifted  up,  and  the  Government 
seems  more  hardened  than  before.  Our  present  gover- 
nor, Le,  and  his  compeers  in  Canton,  appear  of  late 
more  lofty  and  overbearing  than  during  the  last  three 
years'  rebellion  in  the  north. 

'*  I  have  sent  you  by  our  friend  Davis  a  copy  of  the 
late  Mr.  Collie's  "  Confucius."  Poor  fellow,  he  died 
before  the  work  was  out  of  the  press.  His  death  is  a 
loss  to  the  College  and  the  Mission.  The  late  Chinese 
Professor,  Mr.  Kidd,  is  now  principal,  and  a  Scotchman 
from  Glasgow  University,  is  second  in  the  College. 

A  work  on  Chinese  Grammar  by  one  of  the  Ca- 
tholic Missionaries,  in  Latin,  will  be  forthcoming  from 
the  College  press  soon. 

"  May  the  Divine  blessing  rest  on  you. 

"  I  remain,  your's  faithfully, 
"  Sir  G.  T.  Staunton,  Bart.         "  Robert  Morrison." 

A  paragraph  having  appeared  in  a  leading  literary 
journal,  which  was  calculated  to  give  an  unfavour- 
able impression  of  the  abilities  and  atainments  of  Mis- 
sionaries who  had  translated  the  Scriptures  into  Pagan 
languages,  and  which  reflected  on  the  Bible  Society, 
for  sanctioning  translations  made  by  self-instructed 
persons.  Dr.  Morrison  wrote  some  remarks  with  the 
intention  of  their  being  inserted  in  the  Asiatic  Journal ; 
but  in  accordance  with  his  usual  practice  of  abstaining 

"  Chang-klh-urh  was  pul  to  a  nlow  dtuth. 


4 10  C0RRE8P0NBSNC&  (]  1828. 

from  controversy,  when  he  was  personally  concemedi 
this  letter,  with  various  others  of  a  similar  character, 
was  laid  aside  ;  but  the  compiler  judges  it  of  too  im- 
portant a  nature,  as  bearing  on  translations  generally, 
to  withhold  it  from  this  work.  It  was  addressed  as 
follows : — 

TO  THE  EDrrOR  OF  THE  ASIATIC  JOURNAL. 
«  Sir,  *'  Canton,  Jan.  5tli,  1 828. 

"  The  number  of  your  Journal  for  August  arrived 
here  a  few  days  ago.  It  is  satisfactory  to  see,  in  the 
pages  of  your  respectable  and  useful  publication,  an 
increased  attention  to  the  affairs  of  Ultra-Ganges 
India ;  for,  although  British  India  furnishes  you  with 
the  greatest  mass  of  materiel^  the  title  of  your  work 
permits  you  to  take  the  whole  range  of  Asia. 

^^  As  you  have  made  a  valiant  assault,  in  aid  of  the 
June  Quarterly,  on  the  Bible  Society  and  Missionaries^ 
you  will,  of  course,  admit  a  few  lines  on  the  other  side. 
The  sapient  reviewer  in  that  liberal  publication,  has 
found  out  that  the  Bible  Society  has  printed  transla- 
tions of  Holy  Scripture  which  were  imperfect,  and  that 
the  translators  were  not  perfect  masters  of  Hebrew  and 
Oreek,  and  Chinese,  and  other  langui^es.  Now,  in 
this  part  of  the  globe,  we  ask,  where  is  there  a  per- 
fect translation  ?  Is  the  English  version  perfect  1  I 
would  not  ask  the  authors  of  the  *  Improved  version,' 
for  they  have  said  their  say.  Nor  would  I  ask  Bi- 
shop Lowth,  or  Bishop  Newcombe,  but  I  would  ask 
any  man  who  has  ever  attended  to  the  subject,  whe- 
ther the  English  version  is  perfect  or  not.  If  not,  on 
the  reviewer's  principles,  the  Bible  Society  should  not 
have  printed  it.  But  the  English  Bible,  though  im- 
perfect, contains  the  grand  scope  and  design  of  Divine 
revelation  to  mankind,  in  the  plain  vernacular  Ian- 


I 


1838.]  BEMABK8   ON    THE   QCABTEHLY.  411 

guage  of  the  country.  And  with  all  its  minor  imper- 
fections, it  may  be  called  truly,  the  Word  of  God  :  for 
that  which  reveals  God's  will  is  God's  word. 

"  But  so  grand  a  subject  hinges  not  on  perfections 
of  style,  or  of  idiom.  The  idiom  of  the  Greek  New 
Testament  itself  is  often  Hebrew.  Before  the  Holy 
Bible  be  given  to  mankind  universally,  must  we  wait 
till  we  get  regularly  educated — perfect  masters  of  all 
the  languages  on  earth  ?  Will  monarchs,  and  kings, 
and  governors  suspend  their  operations  till  they  get 
perfect  translators  1  No.  They  will  make  their  wills 
known  by  media  as  perfect  as  they  can  procure, 
and  so  must  the  church  of  God. 

"  Your  leader,  the  Quarterly,  Mr.  Editor,  com- 
plains of  translators  being  *  self-instructed.'  For  their 
western  learning,  they  were  not  so ;  but  if  they  had, 
what  good  scholar  ever  existed,  who  was  not  in  a 
great  degree  self-instructed.  The  article  in  the  same 
number,  shows,  that  at  the  most  ancient,  and  most 
highly  and  exclusively  privileged,  seats  of  learning  in 
England,  a  man,  if  a  scholar  at  all,  must  be  self- 
taught.  But,  however,  putting  this  aside,  who  was 
to  instruct  the  modem  Missionaries  in  Sanscrit,  or 
Chinese,  or  Otaheitean,  but  the  individuals  them- 
selves. There  had  been  '  regularly  educated'  civilians 
and  commanders,  and  chaplains  too,  in  India,  and 
commercial  agents  in  China,  long  before  tlie  English 
Missionaries  were  born  ;  but  had  they  learned,  or  had 
they  provided  means  to  teach  those  languages? 
England  had  drunk  Chinese  tea,  and  raised  millions 
of  revenue  from  it  for  a  century,  but  England  had  not 
furnished  one  page,  nor  established  a  single  school  to 
teach  Chinese,  till  a  *  self- instructed  '  English  Mission- 
ary did  it.  But  that  Missionary  was  supposed  by  the 
Reviewer,  not  to  be  of  his  Brahminical  privileged 


412  PRIVATB  JOURNAL.  [1828. 

caste.  Therefore  the  Quarterly  cries  him  down^  and 
cries  up  Bishop's  College.  jThe  Bishops  Middleton 
and  Heber  have  finished  their  course,  and  the  College 
is  progressing,  and  will,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  be  an 
eventual  blessing  to  India.  But  what,  after  all,  have 
either  the  Bishops  or  the  College  done,  towards  Asiatic 
literature,  or  the  diffusion  of  Christianity  among  Asiatic 
Nations  1 

"  And   why,  Mr.  Editor,  do  not  you  look  at  the 
sums  expended  on  these,  as  well  as  those  spent  on 
translations  and  Missions.     Of  these  you  say  you  are 
a   friend  ;  but,  were  I  a  Missionary,  I  should  wish 
to  be  defended  against  such  mistaken  friendship  as 
you   manifest   in  your  very  ^immature'  remarks  of 
a  theological    nature,  in  your  number  for    August 
You  must  study  a  little  more  of  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
and  understand  the  English  liturgy  better,  before  you 
decry  an   entire   dependence   on  the  Divine  Spirit, 
in  the  use  of  means — (which,  most  certainly.  Mission- 
aries employ)  for  the  conversion  of  the  human  soul, 
both  in  Christendom  and  in  lands  occupied  by  idola- 
ters, or  by  followers  of  the  false  prophet. 

"  Your  sincere  Friend, 

An  Observer.'' 

The  following  fact,  which  is  probably  not  known 
to  the  Philologists  of  Europe,  is  taken  from  Dr.  Mor- 
rison's private  correspondence. 

«  •  *  * 

"Nov.  18th. — I  dined  to-day  at  D ^'s,  in  order  to 

meet  a  surgeon  from  Japan,  whose  name  is  Burgher, 
in  the  service  of  the  Dutch.  He  told  me  a  piece  of 
news  which  I  cannot  help  communicating  to  you — ^it 
is  this.  The  Japanese  translators  are  rendering  Mor- 
rison's Dictionary  into  the  Japanese  language !  This 
is  a  curious  and  interesting  fact ;   and  confirms  my 


1828.]  DICTIONARY,   ETC.  413 

doctrine  of  employing  the  press  in  these  parts  of  the 
world.  I  hope  the  Bible  will  soon  reach  the  Japanese. 
Last  year,  you  remember,  the  Russian  goyemment 
wished  to  translate  the  Dictionary  into  Russian,  but 

our  Society  threw  cold  water  on  the  design.'^ 

*  *  «  *  * 

"28th. — Mr.  Burgher  called  and  told  me  a  great 
deal  about  Japan  and  the  neighbouring  islands.  I 
have  invited  him  to  the  Company's,  as  you  will  see 
by  the  enclosed.  He  says  the  Japanese  write  on  their 
fans,  at  Nagasaki,  extracts  from  Morrison's  Diction- 
ary, arranged  according  to  the  Alphabet,  as  an  orna- 
ment, and  present  them  to  each  other !  The  Alpha- 
betic arrangement  is  new  to  them.  Majoribanks  was 
much  struck  with  the  circumstance  of  the  Japanese 
getting  a  new  Chinese  Dictionary  through  the  English 
language. 

"  29th. — *  ♦  *  I  have  sent  to  Japan  an  order  for 
a  copy  of  my  Dictionary,  to  be  given  to  the  transla- 
tor Gonoski  Kokizas."*  Mr.  Burgher  suggests  that  I 
should  write  a  kind  letter  to  him,  and  he  will  forward 
it.  I  have  given  Burgher  also  an  order  for  a  copy 
of  the  Dictionary,  and  thirty-two  dollars'  worth  of 
Chinese  books  and  prints." 

TO  MR.  JAMES  MORRISON. 

**  Canton,  Dec.  25,  1 828. 

"  My  Dear  Brother, 

***** 

"  During  this  month  I  have  been  attending  the 
death -bed  of  two  young  men  who  were  officers  of  the 
Company's  ships.  One  Mr.  Wilson  was  second  officer  of 
the  Orwell,  when  we  came  out ;  first  officer  this  voy- 
age— ^and  in  that  capacity  he  was  when  he  died  of  a 


*  The  Japanese  literati  are  acquainted  with  the  Chinese  character. 


414  PRIVATB   JOURNAL.  [1828. 

short  illneflB.  I  followed  him  to  the  grave,  in  the  same 
boat  in  which  he  landed  us  at  Madeira ;  and  in  which 
he  had  accompanied  Mrs.  Morrison  and  all  the  children 
to  Macao.  Oh !  how  uncertain  is  this  mortal  life.  I 
led  his  mind  to  Jesus  on  his  dying-bed — ^but,  oh !  a 
death-bed,  is  not  the  place  to  defer  our  soul's  con- 
cerns." *  .      *  * 

In  Dr.  Morrison's  private  letters,  a  fuller  account  of 
this  affecting  event  is  given  with  his  usual  simplicity ; 
but  it  is  so  highly  characteristic  of  the  unobserved 
and  unostentatious  manner  in  which  he  was  constantly 
performing  acts  of  christian  benevolence,  that  the 
compiler  hopes  the  following  extracts  from  it  may 
not  be  unprofitably  perused. 

"Dec.  9th. — F has  been  here  to  borrow   a 

prayer-book  to  read  to  an  officer  who  is  thoi^ht  to 
be  dying — a  Mr.  Johnston.  He  has  asked  me  to  visit 
him,  if  the  sick  man  should  wish  it. 

"  Alas !  it  is  a  hard  task  to  perform,  when  there  has 
been  previous  neglect  and  ignorance  of  religion.  May 
God  help  us  and  ours  to  seek  him  when  in  health,  and 
to  avouch  the  Lord  as  our  God.  *  »  ♦ 

"  Since  closing  my  letter  of  this  morning,  I  have 
been  visiting  the  two  dying  officers,  Wilson  and 
Johnston,  both  in  the  prime  of  life. 

"  Johnston  belongs  to  the  General  Harris,  the  ship 
in  which  Mr.  Millard,  a  Moravian,  is  surgeon.  Johnston 
has  a  fine  manly  countenance  even  amidst  the  pallid 
hue  of  death.  His  mind  is  tranquil,  and  he  looks  to  Je- 
sus. Wilson  is  humbled.  Before  I  went  to-day,  which 
I  did  voluntarily,  just  at  the  same  time  that  he,  with- 
out  my  knowing  it,  expressed  a  wish  to  see  me  ;  be- 
fore that,  he  asked  Mackilligan  to  read  a  prayer  for 
him,  which  he  did.  I  found  him  with  a  prayer-book 
at  his  pillow.     He  listened  intensely  to  my  advice  to 


r 


5-] 


PRIVATE   JOURNAL. 


4  Id 

him,  to  urge  the  publican's  prayer,  *  Ood  be  merciful 
to  me  a  sinner,'  through  Jeaus  Christ,  the  sole  foun- 
dation of  a  sinner's  hope.  I  noticed  both  to  him  and 
Jolinston,  how  exactly  the  Gospel  was  suited  to  man 
under  such  circumstances  aa  theire.  No  room  for 
works  now.  The  work  of  God  is  to  believe  on  him 
whom  God  hath  sent. 

'*  At  Johnston's,  F ,  Millard,  and  Fox  were  pre- 
sent. At  Wilson's  I  chose  to  be  alone ;  still  he  did 
not  open  his  mind  much,  nor  do  I  interrogate  the  sick 
and  dying.  I  direct  them  to  Jesus,  advise,  and 
pray  with  and  for  them,  leaving  the  rest  to  their 
own  consciences. 

"  I  desire  to  pray,  and  tried  to  do  ao,  for  them,  when 
absent.  They  are  our  brethren — dying  in  the  midst 
of  paganism  and  infidelity,  in  a  strange  land — in  the 
prime  of  life.  Johnston  is  reduced  and  pale ;  but 
Wilson  still  retains  his  apparent  muscular  strength — 
but  his  hot  hand  indicates  the  fever  that  bums  in  his 
veins,  which  neither  starvation  nor  depletion  can 
diminish.  God  have  mercy  on  them,  and  glorify  the 
riches  of  his  grace  in  their  conversion  and  salvation, 
even  in  the  eleventh  hour.     Amen  and  amen ! 

"  10  o'clock. — I  have  just  read  the  service  for  the 
sick.  In  it  there  is  much  that  is  truly  edifying.  The 
Conmiun  ion -part  is  not  scriptural." 

"Dec.  11th. —  •  *  *  A  desire  has  arisen  in  my 
mind  to  examine  the  superstition  of  this  country,  as 
exhibited  by  the  priests.     I  have  some  old  friends  at 

the  great  temple. Here  I  broke  off  by  Mac- 

killigan  calling  on  me  to  go  to  Johnston,  who  hnd  ex- 
pressed  a  wish  to  see  me  again.  It  ia  now  about  ten 
o'clock.  Johnston's  mind  is  to-night  active,  as  his 
body  dies,  but  it  is  bewildered — slightly  delirious.  He 
1  pronounced  a  hearty  amen  to  my 


416  VISriB  TWO   DYING   OFPICSRS.  [1828. 

prayers.  He  is  only  twenty -one — an  orphan.  Wil- 
son lingers  much  in  the  same  state  as  when  I  last 
wrote."  *  #  * 

^^  12th,  night. — ^The  Moravian  surgeon,  Millard, 
has  just  now  been  here  to  say  that  his  patient, 
Johnston,  whose  name  I  have  so  often  mentioned, 
and  whom  I  have  visited  twice  to-day,  has  departed 
this  life.  There  was  hope  in  his  death.  His  memory 
supplied  him  richly  with  sentences  from  the  prayers 
which  he  had  been  accustomed  to  pronounce.  On 
leaving  the  last  time,  I  took  Johnston^s  death-cold 
hand,  and  said,  ^  the  Lord  be  with  you  f  he  replied, 
*  and  with  thy  spirit.'  *  •  *  Wilson  is  fast  sink- 
ing. Both  he  and  Johnston  were  in  high  health  a 
month  ago,  and  were  both  at  three  great  parties  at 
Whampoa,  where  they  feasted  without  fear.  John- 
ston gave  signs  of  pleading  earnestly  for  mercy.  Wil- 
son is  silent — almost;  although  he  joined  with  up- 
lifted eyes  and  clasped  hands  in  prayer  to  God  with 
me.  Oh,  that  men  were  wise !  that  they  would  con- 
sider before  the  last  hour !  The  Lord  help  us  to  live 
devoutly,  and  with  minds  so  blessed  as  to  look  on 
death  as  a  real-gain  to  us. 

"  M  *  *  *  is  under  conflicting  wishes,  desiring 
to  give  himself  to  our  Saviour's  service  entirely; 
but  still  held  back  by  worldly  plans  of  temporal 
prosperity.  I  advised  him  to  serve  God  in  his  calling. 
He  is  an  amiable  youth.  People  in  England,  he 
says,  think  I  have  no  field  for  Missionary  labour,  but 
he  thinks  visiting  the  sick  and  the  dying  is  Missionary 
labour." 

The  circumstances  of  Mr.  Wilson's  death,  and  Dr. 
Morrison's  having  accompanied  his  remains  to  the 
Orwell,  where  he  read  the  funeral  service,  and  gave  an 
address,  were  communicated  in  a  letter,  which  unfor- 


I 


1829.]  KEFLECnONS   ON   THE    NEW    YEAR.  417 

lunalely  never  reached  its  destination  ;  and  Dr.  Mor- 
rison's return  to  Macao  immediately  after  prevented 
the  subject  being  resumed  in  writing.  But  it  was  gra- 
tifying to  be  able  to  state,  that  this  interesting  young 
man  received  Dr.  Morrison's  visits  with  evident  satis- 
(Bction,  even  when  his  mind  wandered.  His  last  token 
of  recognition  was,  an  expressive  look,  aud  pressure  of 
the  hand,  when  voice  had  failed,  which  induced  a 
hope,  that  the  instructions  he  had  received  were 
blessed — even  at  the  "eleventh  hour." 

"Canton,  Jan.  1.  1829. 

•  •  *  "  From  the  pressure  of  business, 
and  the  illumination  of  philosophy  (as  some  would 
have  it),  but  little  note  is  now  taken  of  passing 
time,  and  new-year's  morning  appears  the  same 
as  any  other  morning.  There  is  of  course  a  su- 
perstitious regard  to  times  and  seasons,  which  may 
be  as  well  dispensed  with ;  and  here  in  China,  having 
two  eras  for  the  new-year,  one  is  led  to  disregard 
both  of  them.  Yet  the  christian  may  usefully  make 
the  new-year  a  sort  of  halting-place  to  turn  round 
— look  back  upon  the  past  with  humility,  repen- 
tance, and  gratitude ;  and  look  forward  to  the  fu- 
ture with  an  increased  desire  to  serve  God,  whilst 
life  may  continue ;  and  prepare  for  the  enjoyment 
»jf  heaven,  when  life  may  close;  always  paying 
more  regard  to  the  invisible  realities  of  eternity,  than 
to  the  fleeting  objects  of  this  temporary  existence. 

•  *  *'  Mr.  Simeon,  of  Cambridge,  generally  fur- 
nishes our  subject  of  reading  on  Sunday  evening. 
We  read  the  chapters  where  his  texts  are,  with  com- 
mentators before  us,  and  then  I  read  parts  of  his  Ske- 
letons. The  perfection  of  Scripture — not  to  be  added 
to,  nor  diminished  from — was  this  evening's  topic.  The 
union  which  takes  place  in  my  room  at  Canton,  of 

'L.  II.         •  2  E 


418  NOTICES  CONCERNIMO  THE  [1829. 

pious  books,  and  pious  persons  of  all  countries,  sects, 
and  creeds,  often  excites  my  admiration  and  grati- 
titude.  Mr,  Groves,  the  gunner  of  the  Orwell, 
called  this  morning  to  thank  me  for  my  kindness  to 
him  when  he  had  his  leg  amputated.'^ 

As  a  contrast  to  the  act  of  unobtrusive  benevolence 
which  closed  the  narrative  of  the  past  year;  the  com- 
mencement of  the  present  afforded  Dr.  Morrison  an 
opportunity  for  displaying  similar  feelings,  in  a  much 
more  conspicuous  sphere ;  and  one  in  which  his 
talents  and  Chinese  acquirements  appeared  to  peculiar 
advantage ;  as  well  from  the  novelty  of  the  occasion, 
as  from  the  spontaneous  effort  it  called  forth,  in  a 
Chinese  court  of  justice,  to  advocate  the  cause  of  a 
native  criminal,  under  sentence  of  death. 

In  order  that  the  reader  may  have  a  correct  notion 
of  what  is  here  alluded  to,  it  is  necessary  to  give  a  brief 
recital  of  the  circumstances  which  led  to  it.  Early  in 
1 827,  a  small  vessel  from  Bordeaux,  bound  to  Manilla, 
freighted  with  wine,  silks,  &c.,  besides  treasure  in  dol- 
lars, and  containing  fourteen  persons,  including  the 
Captain,  being  compelled  to  put  into  Turon,  a  port  in 
Cochin-china  for  repairs,  was  there  condemned,  and 
sold  to  the  government.  The  Captain  of  the  *  Navi- 
gateur,'  the  name  of  the  French  ship,  chartered  a 
Chinese  junk  to  take  his  cargo,  crew,  and  passengers 
on  to  Macao,  little  anticipating  the  dreadful  fate  that 
awaited  them ;  but  it  appeared  that  the  cupidity  of 
the  Chinese,  who  were  superior  in  numbers,  was 
excited  by  the  sight  of  the  treasure,  and  they  resolved 
to  possess  themselves  of  it,  by  murdering  the  foreign- 
ers. Strange  as  it  may  appear,  they  deferred  the  per- 
petration of  this  dreadful  act,  till  they  came  within 
nine  or  ten  leagues  of  Macao ;  and  then  they  fell  upon 


1829.]  MURDER   OF    A    FRENCH    CREW.  419 

the  unsuapecting  passengers,  whom,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  two,  they  massacred  in  the  most  barbarous 
manner.  These  two  persons,  unobserved  at  the  mo- 
ment, threw  themselves  into  the  sea,  in  order  to  avoid 
the  fate  of  their  companions  ;  one  of  them  soon  sank 
from  exhaustion,  as  he  had  been  severely  wounded, 
but  the  other,  supported  himself  on  a  plank,  and  was 
at  length  taken  up  by  a  fishing-boat,  and  brought 
to  Macao,  when  he  deposed  to  the  facta  of  the  case 
before  the  Portuguese  authorities.  By  them  they 
were  transmitted  to  the  Chinese  local  government  at 
Canton,  who  directed  that  prompt  and  vigilant  search 
should  be  made  for  the  murderers.  Tlie  junk  was 
traced  from  place  to  place,  and  the  captain  and  crew 
were  finally  secured ;  and  after  being  tortured,  tried, 
end  condemned  to  suffer  death,  were  brought  to  Can- 
ton, in  order  to  be  confronted  with  Francisco  Mangia- 
pan,  the  only  survivor  of  the  Navigatenr's  crew,  before 
the  sentence  was  executed  on  them.  This  ceremony 
was  to  take  place  in  the  Hong-Merchants'  public  hall 
of  business,  as  noticed  in  the  following  extracts  of  a 
letter  written  on  that  and  the  subsequent  day,  in  which 
Dr.  Morrison  merely  alludes  to  the  part  be  took  in 
the  proceedings.     He  says, — 

"22nd. — I  have  been  round  to  see  the  French  sailor, 
who  is  waiting  at  the  Chinese  Hong-Merchants'  hall  to 
recognize  the  murderers  of  his  countrymen.  The  Chi- 
nese culprits  are  to  be  brought  out  for  that  purpose  to- 
day at  noon.  I  feel  quite  melancholy  to  think  what 
misery  in  this  case  the  accursed  lust  of  gold  has  occa- 
sioned to  so  many  individuals  and  families,  both  in 
China  and  in  Europe. 

"  Evening. — A  great  many  foreigners  assembled  at 
'  the  place  mentioned  above,  expecting  the  judge, 
'  &c. ;  but  a  message  came  from  the  city  that  he 
2e2 


420  CHINESE   COURT   OF   JUSTICE,  1829.] 

would  not  come  till  to-morrow.  The  streets  were 
fehoked  up  with  Chinamen  waiting  to  see  the  cri- 
minals.*^ 

"23. — *  *  *  I  sent  off,  about  an  hour  ago,  a 
letter  to  tell  you  that  I  should  leave  Canton  on  Saturday 
evening,  and  should  expect  to  be  in  Macao  Roads  on 
Monday.  The  proceedings  of  this  day,  in  which  I 
stood  foremost  among  many  in  a  public  crowded  hall, 
and  had  the  happiness  to  be  the  successful  advocate  of 
an  injured  man  condemned  to  die,  I  will  relate  when 
(God  willing)  we  meet.  I  have  been  standing  from 
half-past  ten  till  near  half-past  four ;  but  I  hasten  to 
close  this,  to  give  you  information  of  my  hope  to  see 
you  on  Monday.**  ♦  ♦  ♦  * 

As  Dr.  Morrison's  letter  did  not  contain  the  sequel 
to  this  melancholy  afiair,  a  few  paragraphs  describ- 
ing it  are  here  transcribed  from  the  Canton  Register : — 

"As  the  Magistrate  was  expected  about  noon,  most 
of  the  foreigners  in  Canton  were  by  that  time  as- 
sembled at  the  Consoo  (Hall  of  Commerce). 

"  Between  eleven  and  twelve,  the  prisoners  began 
to  arrive,  being  conveyed  in  bamboo  cages  of  about 
three  feet  long,  two  wide,  and  three  deep,  in  which 
the  prisoner  was  obliged  to  sit  in  a  doubled  posture ;  * 
and  the  only  relief  he  could  possibly  receive,  was  from 
a  round  hole  at  the  top,  sufficient  to  admit  of  the  un- 
fortunate being  putting  out  his  head ;  but  of  which 
few  of  them  availed  themselves — perhaps  shunning 
the  gaze  of  the  spectators,  and  ashamed  of  the  crime 
they  had  perpetrated.     They  had  light  chains  round 
their  necks,  legs,  and  wrists,  and  presented  a  most 
degrading    spectacle   of   human  misery.      On   each 
cage  was   written  the  name  of  its  inmate,   and  the 
nature  of  the  sentence  which  he  was  doomed  to  suffer. 

"  The  prisoners  were  brought  up  in  threes  and  fives 


W      1929.] 


IN  WHICH  DB.   M.  PLEADS  FOR  / 


I 


I 


421 


successively,  and  made  to  kneel  while  confronted  with 
Francisco:  most  of  them  he  readily  recognised,  show- 
ing only  momentary  hesitation,  as  to  the  persons  of 
one  or  two  ;  and  as  they  were  identified,  the  magis. 
trate  put  a  red  mark  against  their  names.  Francisco 
often  spoke  of  one  man  who  had  not  taken  any  active 
part  in  the  massacre, — but  who  had  endeavoured  to 
intimate  to  him  the  design  of  the  Chinese  by  signs — 
he  described  this  man  as  having  a  mark  on  his  fore- 
head, by  which  he  should  know  him.  Among  the 
last  of  the  prisoners  brought,  was  one  who  attracted 
general  attention.  He  was  an  interesting  looking 
man,  about  fifty  years  of  age.  The  name  Tsae-kung- 
chaon,  was  on  the  cage,  and  the  words  Chan-fan,  *a 
crimiuat  to  be  decapitated.'  He  made  an  attempt  to 
address  the  strangers,  and  by  directing  hia  finger  to 
his  mouth  and  ears,  was  evidently  desirous  of  an  in- 
terpreter." 

Among  hia  own  countrymen  present,  no  one 
could  understand  him,  as  he  spoke  the  Fokieu  dia- 
lect, which  is  entirely  different  from  that  spoken  by 
the  Canton  people,  while  the  higher  classes  spake  the 
court  or  "  mandarin  language."  Dr.  Morrison  then 
went  forward,  and  ascertained  from  him  what  he 
wished  to  make  known ;  viz,  tliat  he  was  unjustly 
doomed  to  death,  though  conscious  of  his  own  inno- 
cence, &c.,  &c.  This  statement  was  corroborated  by 
Francisco's  recognising  him  as  his  deliverer.  It  was 
tlien  that  Dr.  Morrison  approached  the  bar,  and  res- 
pectfully begged  permission  to  speak  a  few  words  in 
behalf  of  the  disposition  entertained  by  the  foreigners 
present;  whom,  he  stated,  were  inclined  to  clemency, 
and  would  rejoice  if  any  circumstance  could  be  dis- 
covered, which  would  mitigate  the  fate  of  tlie  un- 
happy culprits. 

The  magistrate  seemed  gratified  with  tho  feelings 


422  TSAB-XUNG-CHAOU   LIBERATED.  [1829.  . 

which  dictated  this  appeal,  and  mildly  replied,  that 
the  court  was  proceeding  under  the  special  command 
of  his  imperial  Majesty,  and  care  should  be  taken  that 
no  false  accusation  was  admitted.  Dr.  Morrison  then 
represented  the  caseof  Tsae-kung-chaou  in  such  a  for- 
cible light,  that  the  judge,  instead  of  affixing  the  red 
mark  to  his  name,  remanded  him  to  prison  till  the 
subject  should  be  fully  investigated.  The  result  was, 
that  he  was  finally  acquitted ;  although  the  chief  judge 
of  Canton  wished  to  have  him  executed,  as  he  had 
been  condemned  by  the  imperial  government. 

The  following  month  Dr.  Morrison  writes  : 

"  Feb.  18th.—  *  *  *  The  Kwang-chow-foo, 
whom  I  addressed,  says  he  will  go  all  lengths  to  sup- 
port the  innocent  man ! 

^^  Ahang  has  brought  the  news  of  the  day,  from 
the  city,  and  says,  Morrison's  name  was  applauded 
by  the  natives  for  using  his  eloquence  in  behalf  of  an 
innocent  Chinese  in  the  court.  Another  man  was 
saved,  by  the  execution  being  deferred  one  day.  It  was 
ordered  for  the  24th — ^but  an  express  arrived  on  the 
25th  from  the  Fokien  province,  reporting  that  all  the 
gentry  had  come  forward  to  be  surety  for  the  fourth 
(referring  to  the  fourth  cage).     It  is  believed,  that 

several  innocent  persons  have  been  sacrificed.'^ 

«  «  «  « 

After  his  liberation,  Tsae-kung-chaou  visited  his  be- 
nefactor in  Macao.  He  manifested  nothing  of  the 
which  usually  marks  the  deportment  of  his  hauteur 
countrymen  in  the  presence  of  foreigners.  He  wished  to 
perfoiTO  the  K6-tow,  not  only  to  Dr.  Morrison,  but  also 
to  Mrs.  M.  He  was,  however,  only  permitted  to  make 
one  prostration  ;  but  his  grateful  feelings  were  further 
expressed  in  the  following  letter,  the  original  of  which 
is  in  the  possession  of  the  compiler. 


.  1829.] 


HI3   GRATEFUL    ACKNOWLEDGMENT. 


423 


I 


I 

I 


The  grateful  petition  of  Tsac-kuug-chaou,  imbued 
with  favour. 

"  I,  the  subject  of  mercy,  Tsae-kung-chaou,  who 
am  a  native  of  Tuug-gnau,  in  the  province  of  Fo- 
kien,  went  a  voyage  to  Cochin-china,  during  which 
I  became  involved  in  calamity.  I  was  imprisoned, 
and  brought  in  custody  to  Canton,  to  undergo  a  j  udicial 
examination  at  the  public  factory  of  foreign  mer- 
chants, where  I  must  inevitably  have  suffered  death, 
had  I  not  fortunately  met  with  the  venerable  teacher 
Morrison,  who,  in  condescension  and  compassion  lis- 
tened to  my  weeping  detail  of  previous  circumstances, 
and  immediately,  with  the  greatest  kindness,  laid  a 
statement  of  my  case  before  each  magistrate,  and 
each  foreign  merchant,  bo  that  I  was  forthwith  libe- 
rated from  prison — saved  from  death — and  restored  to 
the  blessings  of  life.  Language  is  inadequate  to  des- 
cribe my  feelings  on  this  point.  Moreover,  I  am  in- 
debted to  his  clemency  for  promoting  a  subscription' 
to  enable  me  again  to  visit  my  family,  when  I  was 
destitute  of  the  means  of  returning  to  my  native 
province,  and  in  the  utmost  dbtress : — such  favours 
I  receive  as  the  gifts  of  heaven,  by  which  in  life 
or  deatli  I  am  unalterably  bound.  My  only  hope 
is,  that  my  excellent  benefactor  will  derive  happiness 
from  God  in  the  present  world,  and  in  tlie  world  to 
come ;  and  together  with  his  children,  and  remoter 
descendants,  be  blessed  with  unfailing  and  unchange- 
able prosperity.     Such  is  tlie  desire  of  my  heart. 

"  This  grateful  expression  of  my  obligations  as- 
cends before  the  presence  of  the  venerable  preceptor 
Morrison. 

'•  Taou-kwang'a  ninth  year,  second  month,  the  sixth 
day  of  the  first  decade." 

(MHcao,  March  10th,  1629.) 
*  Nearly  £300  were  GubBcribed  Tor  hun. 


424  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1829. 

The  following  letter  to  Sir  George  Staunton^  con- 
tains brief  notices  of  various  subjects,  in  which 
Dr.  Morrison  was  engaged  or  interested  during  the 
present  year. 

'<  Canton,  Feb.  24,  1829. 

"  My  Dear  Sir, 

^^  As  the  last  ship  is  about  to  sail,  I  am  induced  to 
write  a  few  lines  to  mention  the  formation  of  a  Mu- 
seum here.  It  is  to  include  Natural  History  and  the 
Productions  of  Art.  It  is  open  to  all  British  subjects 
by  ballot,  and  not  confined  to  the  Factory.  Some  of 
the  Factory  indeed  declined  being  members. 

"  For  the  current  year,  Mr.  Reeves,  jun.,  is  secretary, 
Mr.  Clark,  treasurer ;  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Vachell,  cu- 
rator. Our  annual  subscription  is  thirty  dollars.  The 
name  to  give  it,  was  a  difficulty.  At  last  the  meeting 
resolved  to  call  it  the  British  Museum  in  China. 

'^  Since  writii^  to  you  last,  I  have  not  heard  from 
the  Anglo.  Chinese  College.  In  the  ensuing  summer, 
I  hope  my  son  John  Robert  Mdll  return  to  China. 

^^  I  have  just  now  completed  a  third  part  of  a  Can- 
ton vocabulary.  It  has  become  the  fashion  to  study 
it  in  preference  to  the  Mandarin  tongue. 

^^  His  imperial  Majesty  has  issued  a  manifesto^  or- 
dering thanks  to  all  the  powers  in  heaven  and  on 
earth,  the  spirits  of  mountains,  rivers,  &c.  Also  con- 
ferring favours  on  all  his  subjects,  as  an  expression  of 
gratitude  for  the  subjugation  of  prince  Chang-klh-urh. 
It  begins  as  the  late  emperor's  letter  to  his  Britannic 
Majesty  did,  &c. 

^^  Mr.  Chinnery,  the  artist  here,  has  painted  a  por- 
trait* of  me,  and  of  two  Chinese  assistants,  forming  a 

*  From  this  portrait,  which  is  in  the  Mrriter's  possession,  the  en- 
graving attached  to  these  Memoirs  was  taken. 


1829.] 


DH.    MORRISON  S    PORTRAIT. 


424 


I 


I 


group,  with  reference  to  my  Dictiouary,  Translation 
of  the  Scriptures,  Prayer-book,  and  the  College.  It 
has  been  much  admired;  and  the  gentlemen  of  the 
Factory  have  sent  it  home  to  be  engraved  at  their  ex- 
pense, as  a  token  of  regard  and  esteem  for  an  old 
friend.  Tliis  occurrence,  in  addition  to  the  friendship 
with  which  you  have  long  honoured  me,  is  very  satis- 
factory to  me. 

"  Mrs.  Morrison  and  my  family,  are  at  present  iti 
tolerable  health,  for  which  we  desire  to  be  grateful  to 
Divine  Providence. 

As  there  are  many  persons  in  Canton,  who  do  not  feel 
authorized,  or  willing  to  go  to  the  Company's  chapel, 
I  have,  during  the  last  two  seasons,  read  prayers  and 
a  sermon  in  one  of  the  outside  factories  every  Sunday. 
I  hope  religion  ia  gradually  gaining  ground  in  China. 
I  trust  the  press  at  our  College  will  contribute  to  it. 
About  fifteen  hundred  dollars  have  been  euhscribed 
for  the  College  in  China  this  season;  and  the  im- 
pressions of  the  picture  to  be  engraved,  after  the  sub- 
scribers have  each  taken  one,  are  to  be  sold  for  the 
benefit  of  the  College. 

"  We  have  a  Count  Vidua  here  at  present.  He 
has  requested  me  lo  get  for  him  some  Chinese  books. 

"The  king  of  France  has  appointed  a  consul  in 
China — Monsieur  Gemart. 

"  May  every  blessing  be  granted  you,  through  the 
merits  of  our  adorable  Saviour! 

"  I  remain  very  truly  yours, 

*'  Robert  Morrison." 
**  Sir  George  Staunton,  Bart.,  &c.,  &c. 

The  portrait  referred  to  in  the  preceding  letter  being 
finished,  a  proposal  was  immediately  made  to  have  it 
engraved  by  subscription,  which  was  to  be  confined  to 
the  members  of  the  British  Factory,  as  a  testimony  of 


426  PROPOSAL   FOR   AN   BNORAYIKG  •      (]1829. 

their  regard  for  Dr.  Morrison.  This  intention  was  ex- 
pressed in  the  following  terms,  which  haying  met  with 
general  approbation,  was  sent  to  Dr.  Morrison. 

Mr.  Chinnery  has  just  finished  a  most  excellent 
picture  of  Dr.  Morrison,  attended  by  two  Chinese 
teachers.  If  Dr.  Morrison  will  consent  to  sacrifice, 
for  the  space  of  one  year,  the  gratification  which  he 
must  necessarily  derive  from  the  possession  of  this 
portrait,  to  the  wishes  of  his  friends,  who  are  desirous 
of  preserving  their  recollection  of  an  old  acquaintance, 
and  who  can  unite,  to  the  memory  of  the  most  distin- 
guished Chinese  scholar  of  the  age,  their  feelings  towards 
him,  as  a  kind  and  amiable  member  of  this  society ;  it 
is  proposed,  to  request  him  to  allow  this  picture  to  be 
sent  to  England,  in  the  Orwell,  for  the  purpose  of  ob- 
taining from  it  the  most  perfect  mezzotinto  engraving 
that  can  be  taken. 

The  celebrated  artist  to  whom  they  are  indebted  for 
this  portrait  of  Dr.  Morrison,  has  expressed  his  readi- 
ness to  undertake  the  commission  of  procuring  the 
engraving.* 

Those  gentlemen  who  wish  to  testify  this  mark  of 
esteem  and  respect  for  Dr.  Morrison  are  requested  to 
afiix  their  signatures. 

Signed  by  every  member  of  the  Company^s  Factory. 

Canton,  9th  Feb.  1829. 

Dr.  Morrison  expressed  his  feelings  in  the  following 
note  to  the  Secretary  : — 

"  Dear  Jackson,  "  Canton,  Feb.  10, 1829. 

"  Thank  you  for  the  copy  of  a  proposal  to  engrave 
the  picture  of  myself  and  two    Chinese   teachers, 

*  The  engraving  was  made  by  Turner,  and  cost  three  hundred 
guineas. 


I 


1829.]  OP  DB.  Morrison's  porthait.  4*27 

painted  by  Mr.  Chinnery,  which  you  have  kindly 
sent  me. 

"  As  you  have  been  the  medium  of  conveying  to 
me  tlie  friendly  and  Battering  sentiments  of  the  Gen- 
tlemen of  the  British  Factory  on  this  occasion,  permit 
me  to  request  you  to  make  known  to  them  the 
grateful  sense  which  I  entertain  of  the  kind  spirit 
which  induced  so  favourable  a  testimony,  after  about 
twenty-two  years'  residence  in  China.  This  expres- 
sion of  good-will  from  the  members  of  the  Hon. 
Company's  Factory,  affords  real  satisfaction  to  an  old 
servant. 

"  As  Mr.  Chinnery  has  taken  the  utmost  pains  with 
this  picture,  and  produced  a  painting  which  is,  I  be- 
Keve,  gratifying,  bs  a  work  of  art,  to  all  who 
have  seen  it ;  instead  of  accepting  more  than  a 
few  copies  of  the  engraving,  I  would  resign  those 
you  suggested  appropriating  to  me,  to  Mr.  Chinnery 's 
disposal.  "  Your's  truly, 

"  F.  Jackson,  Esq.  '*  Robert  Morrison." 

During  this  summer  an  Institution  was  established 
in  Macao,  designated  the  '  British  Museum  in  China,' 
for  the  purpose  of  collecting  native  and  foreign  curio- 
sities, including  the  productions  of  art,  as  well  as  what 
pertained  to  natural  history,  &c.  Dr.  Morrison  zea- 
lously encouraged  this  attempt  to  enlarge  the  sphere 
of  knowledge  and  science — not  only  as  a  liberal 
subscriber  and  contributor,  but  also  by  circulating 
among  the  natives  a  statement  of  the  objects  of  the 
museum.  With  the  same  laudable  view,  he  exerted 
himself  to  promote  the  acquisition  of  the  Chinese  lan- 
guage among  his  own  countrymen  and  others ;  and 
in  order  to  make  the  study  of  it  iuterestiug  to  the  Gen- 
tlemen of  the  Factory,  ivho  were  required  to  leam  it. 


428  CUINR8B   VOGABULABY   FINISHED.  [1829. 

he  proposed  the  following  plan  which  succeeded  for  a 
while, 

"  A  wish  having  been  [expresed  by  Chinese  stu- 
dents for  an  opportunity  of  conversing  with,  and  hearing 
various  native  teachers,  Dr.  Morrison  proposes  to  meet 
that  wish  in  the  following  manner : — 

^^  1st.  To  assemble  Chinese  students,  and  their  re- 
spective native  teachers,  at  his  house  every  Tuesday 
evening  at  eight  o^clock. 

^^  2nd.  A  subject,  fixed  at  a  preceding  meeting,  will 
be  freely  conversed  about  by  the  students,  and  native 
assistants,  in'the  Chinese  language.  Any  explanations 
necessary  will  be  given  in  English. 

"  3rd.  The  students  are  requested  to  send  in  to  Dr. 
Morrison,  previously  to  the  evening  of  meeting,  any 
question  or  topic,  which  they  desire  to  be  answered 
at  lai^e,  or  generally  conversed  about;  and  one  or 
more  of  these  'will  be  fixed  for  the  ensuing  meeting. 
Difficult  passives  in  books,  or  peculiar  idioms  which 
embarrass  the  student,  may  be  sent  in  and  conversed 
about  in  presence  of  the  native  teachers,  who  will  give 
their  several  opinions. 

^^4th.  Ladies  and  gentlemen  who  wish  to  obtain  the 
opinion  of  natives,  concerning  natural  curiosities  or 
works  of  art,  may  do  so  by  sending  specimens  pre- 
viously, or  by  bringing  them  on  the  evening  of 
meeting;  questions  concerning  the  history,  religion, 
ethics,  laws,  customs,  &c.,  of  the  Chinese,  may,  by 
visitors,  be  submitted  to  the  natives,  through  the  Chair- 
man of  the  meeting."  "March  Slst,  1829. 

In  the  beginning  of  this  year.  Dr.  Morrison  finished 
the  "Third  part  of  the  Vocabulary  of  the  Canton 
Dialect ;"  and  he  continued  his  other  literary  and  mi- 
nisterial labours  as  usual,  during  the  summer ;  besides 


1829.]    THOUGHTS  ON  RKLINQUiaBlWG  THE  9ERV1CE.      429 

giving  daily  instruction  to  Leang-Afa,  who  had  been 
obliged  to  break  up  his  school,  and  seek  refuge  in 
Macao  from  the  persecution  which  was  excited  against 
him  by  one  of  his  kindred,  who,  with  a  view  to  extort 
money  from  him,  accused  him  to  the  government  of 
dissemiuating  a  wicked  superstition;  aud  designing 
to  sell  the  country  to  foreigners." 


I 


Dr.  Morrison's  official  duties — at  all  times  uncon- 
genial to  his  feelings — were  rendered  peculiarly  ar- 
duous this  season ;  not  only  in  regard  to  the  measures 
pursued  by  the  Committee,  being,  in  his  opinion, 
likely  to  be  injurious  to  the  British  interests  ;  but  also 
from  persons  newly  risen  to  power,  assuming  an  arbi- 
trary control  over  his  pursuits  and  movements,  which 
his  connexion  with  the  Factory  did  not  warrant.  So 
that    Dr.    Morrison  resolved  upon  relinquishing  the 

I  service,  had  not  an  unexpected  change  taken 
j>lace  in  the  authority  ; — respecting  this  intention,  he 
temarks,  in  a  letter  to  the  writer :  "  The  reason  which 
lalways  reconciled  my  mind  to  the  service — viz.  to  se- 
cure a  residence — does  not  now,  I  think,  exist  in  the 
■ame  degree.  1  don't  think  I  should  be  interfered 
,with :  but  even  if  1  should  be  sent  away,  there  are 
other  Missionaries  here.  (The  Americans.)  1  have 
perhaps  finished  the  work  which  the  Lord  designed 
for  t/te.  Oh  !  for  wings  to  fly  away  from  turmoil,  and 
sorrow,  and  vexation.  But,  I  fear,  there  are  no  such 
wings  to  be  had  on  this  side  of  the  grave.  How  tri- 
vial in  the  view  of  eternity,  does  all  these  things 
lar !" 


The  following  letter  to  a  friend  in  the  India  House, 
ritten  at  ditfcrent  periods,  contains  allusious  to  the 
Hwve  circumstance,  with  other  general  topics. 


430  •  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1829. 

DR.  MORRISON  TO  MR.  FISHER. 

**  Macao,  China,  Nov.  23rd,  1829. 

Mt  Dear  Friend, 

"Mr,  Hankey  wrote  to  me  at  some  length  con- 
ceniing  my  Chinese  library.  In  reply,  I  have  both 
stated  to  him,  and  Sir  George  Staunton,  that  I  must 
leave  the  disposal  of  the  books  entirely  to  the  discre- 
tion of  my  friends.  I  am  not  sanguine  at  all  about 
the  result. 

"  The  importance  of  a  knowledge  of  Chinese — and 
not  a  smattering,  but  a  thorough  knowledge — ^is  be- 
coming every  day  more  apparent.  The  difficult  dis- 
cussion now  pending  between  the  Canton  govern- 
ment and  the  Company's  servants,  is  one  instance.  It 
is  not  a  mere  knowledge  of  the  words  of  the  language 
that  is  so  important,  but  a  knowledge  of  the  charac- 
ter and  sentiments  of  the  people.  I  apprehend  the 
delay  here,  even  to  the  length  it  has  gone,  will  occa- 
sion much  discomfort  to  the  Court :  but  if  it  goes  all 
the  length,  which  it  possibly  may,  I  know  not  what 
their  feelings  may  be.  I  tell  you,  in  confidence,  that 
I  am  not  an  adviser  of  the  present  measures,  although 
the  Chinese,  greatly  to  my  disadvantage,  report  I  am. 
You  are  the  only  person  in  the  India  House  that  I 
shall  probably  write  to  this  season. 

"  At  the  College,  another  of  our  pupils  has  been 
baptized,  for  which  I  bless  God.  The  Catholics  hear 
that  in  China  four  of  their  native  priests  have  been 
beheaded  by  government. 

"  Dec.  3rd. — Yesterday,  the  governor  of  Canton 
wrote,  that  he  would  receive  no  more  letters  from  the 
Committee,  but  would  *  throw  them  back  unopened.' 
And  it  is  confidently  announced,  that  on  the  28th 
of  November,  he  sent  off  a  despatch  for  the  supreme 
government,   narrating   the  offences   of  the  English 


I 


1829.J  LFTTBR    TO    THOMAS    FISHER,    ESQ.  431 

since  their  connexion  with  China,  and  last  of  aU, 
deluging  the  celestial  empire  with  the  poisonous  drug 
opium  ;  by  ships  remaining  on  the  coast,  contrary  to 
law,  and  smuggling  it  into  the  country.  This  narrar 
live  is  said  to  be  followed  by  a  recommendation  to  in- 
terdict the  English  trade. 

"  Dec.  9th. — Three  European  Roman  Catholic  Mifl- 
sionaries  entered  China  about  a  year  ago.  One  was 
an  Italian,  another  French,  and  the  third  Spanish. 
Tliey  are,  I  suppose,  smuggled  in  by  native  christians. 
Still  there  was  a  great  risk  of  losing  their  lives  if  dis- 
covered by  the  government. 

"  I  have  received  very  pleasing  accounts  from 
Messrs.  Tomlin  and  QutzlafT,  at  Bankok,  the  capital 
of  Siam,  where  they  have  had,  with  the  Bible,  Prayer- 
Book,  and  Religious  Tracts,  an  abundant  entrance ;  and 
distributed  the  word  of  life  to  thousands.  Poor  Milne 
and  I  laboured  long  in  preparing  the  Bible,  and  other 
books,  and  these  younger  servants  have  been  brought 
forward  to  carry,  literally,  the  treasure  of  the  Gospel 
to  the  heathen  ;  still,  however,  we  require  more  writers 
into  the  Chinese  language :  may  the  Lord  raise  up  a 
numerous  host. 

"  Dec.  10th. —  •  •  I  am  sorry  to  say,  that  no 
progress  has  been  made  since  I  last  wrote,  towards  an 
amicable  adjustment  of  the  discussion  now  pending. 
Our  people  have  acted  and  written  to  the  local  govern- 
ment, in  a  manner  very  contrary  to  my  judgment.  At 
present,  I  cannot  foresee  how  it  will  end.  It  occasions 
me  much  trouble  and  anxiety." 

"  Dec.  15th. — Afa  lef^  me  a  few  days  ago,  to  go  and 
print  two  tracts,  which  he  means  to  circulate  widely,  as 
more  likely  to  spread  the  leaven  of  Divine  truth,  than 
attempting  the  schools  he  mentions  amidst  the  opposi- 
tion of  his  kindred.     He  endeavours  to  make  up  his 


432  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1830* 

mind  to  suffer  for  the  sake  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  His 
prayer  on  parting  was  very  appropriate,  and  shows 
clearly  that  his  heart  is  in  the  work,  as  well  as  that  he 
is  in  the  hahit  of  prayer.  He  desires  the  prayers  of 
Ood's  people,  that  he  may  be  faithful  till  death.  May 
the  Lord  bless  him,  and  make  him  a  blessing.'' 

From  the  very  extensive  and  interesting  correspon- 
dence in  which  Dr.  Morrison  was  engaged,  only  very 
few  selections  can  now  be  given, — and  those,  such  as 
chiefly  refer  to  the  circumstances  of  the  moment, 
which  at  this  period  were  painfully  exciting,  as  will 
appear  from  the  following  letters.  *  * 

♦  ♦  ♦  "  Canton,  Feb.  29,  1830. 

^^  I  left  Macao  on  Tuesday,  16th  instant.  My  last 
letter,  dear  Fisher,  was  rather  gloomy,  concerning 
public  affairs  here.  The  state  of  things  is  altered. 
But  in  a  way  that  leaves  a  great  part  of  the  gloom. 
We  have  fought — and  have  been  defeated.  We  took 
up  a  position  on  an  eminence,  and  the  enemy,  by 
merely  doing  nothing,  obliged  us  to  abandon  it  We 
have  come  up  to  Canton,  on  nearly  the  same  footing — 
just  exactly  the  same  that  we  might  have  done  three 
months  i^o. 

"  Well,  it  is  past — I  am  glad  we  have  come,  al- 
though we  have  ^  lost  face,'  as  the  Chinese  call  a  loss 
of  dignity  and  character.  I  cannot  go  over  the 
ground  which  I  have  travelled  the  last  six  months, 
with  any  comfort  to  you  or  to  myself.  I  quit  the  sub- 
ject. •  ♦  *  Concerning  my  Chinese  books,  &c., 
I  have  already  said  to  Mr.  Hankey,that  he  had  better 
dispose  of  them  as  he  can  ;  for  in  their  present  keep- 
ing, I  am  persuaded  they  will  annually  get  worth  less 
from  neglect. 

**  Mrs.  Morrison  unites  with  me  in  kind  regards  to 


I 


r  1830.]  BAPTlaM    OF    KEW-AOONO.  433 

yourself  and  sister.  We  sincerely  desire  your  wel- 
fare :  you  hold  an  enviable  place  in  your  native  land, 
and  among  so  many  of  the  Lord's  people ;  hut  the 
Saviour  is  near  to  us  also.  Oh  !  that  we  may  be  ena- 
bled to  live  a  life  of  faith  on  him.  When  we  shall 
look  back  from  eternity  on  the  politics  of  time — how 
insignificant  will  they  seem.         *         •         • 

"  The  Sunday  before  last,  at  Macao,  1  baptized  a 
Chinese  about  forty  years  of  age,  who  had  received 
christian  instruction  under  the  late  Dr.  Milne, 

"  The  Lord  be  with  you! 
"  Thomas  Fisher,  Esq.  "  It.  Morrison," 

Kew-agong,  the  person  above  referred  to,  had  been 
several  monlhs  receiving  religious  instruction  from  Dr. 
Morrison,  previously  to  his  baptism.  He  continued, 
both  before  and  afterwards,  to  give  satisfactory  evi- 
dence of  the  transforming  influence  of  the  power  of 
divine  grace,  by  the  total  change  it  eftected  in  his 
conduct.  Until  his  introduction  to  Dr.  Moriison  he 
had  led  on  idle  and  improvident  life — neglecting  to 
provide  for  his  wife  and  children — having  entirely 
left  them,  and  not  settling  to  any  regular  occupation. 
But  from  the  moment  the  truths  of  the  Gospel 
reached  his  heart,  he  became  as  solicitous  for  the  tem- 
poral and  spiritual  condition  of  his  family,  as  lie  had 
been  previously  regardless  of  it.  He  learnt  the  art  of 
printing  from  Leang-afa,  and  worked  most  zealously  at 
it  in  Dr,  Morrison's  employ,  until  he  accoinpauied 
Leang-afa  to  the  interior,  to  distribute  tracts,  &c., 
which  during  the  summer  they  had  prepared. 

Tlie  arrival  of  Missionaries  from  AniericB,wa3  an  event 
which  afforded  Dr.  Morrison  the  greatest  satisfaction. 
His  feelings  on  the  occasion  were  expressed  in  a  letter 
to  his  brother,  from  which  an  extract  is  here  given  : — 

Vol.  II.  2  F 


434  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1830. 

♦  ♦  ♦  "  Canton,  March  10th. 

"Two  American  Missionaries  arrived  in  China 
a  few  days  ago.  One  is  for  the  heathen,  and  the  other 
for  professed  christians.  Bridgman  is  the  name  of 
the  first,  and  Aheel  of  the  second.  I  am  assisting  the 
Missionary  in  learning  the  language  as  much  as  I 
can.  I  am  thankful  that  two  spiritually-minded 
ministers  are  here;  Mr.  Aheel  is  to  remain  only 
one  year — Mr.  Bridgman  is  a  Missionary  for  life : 
thus,  I  hope,  a  succession  of  christian  labourers  will  be 
kept  up  in  China  till  the  end  of  time.  My  situation 
in  the  Company's  service  has  of  late  been  very  un- 
pleasant to  me,  from  the  domineering  behaviour  of 
some  new  people  who  have  come  into  power  here.  I 
had  actually  written  a  note  to  resign,*  and  return  to 
my  family,  that  I  might  spend  the  rest  of  my  days 
in  undivided  attention  to  my  Missionary  duties.  I 
trust  we  shall  be  directed  to  that  which  is  eventually 
for  the  glory  of  God,  and  our  souls*  good :  my  own 
health  and  strength  begin  to  fail,  and  I  can  by  no 
means  labour  as  I  used  to  do  formerly.  But  as  I  am 
going  off  the  stage,  I  rejoice  that  it  has  pleased  the 
Lord  to  send  others  to  continue  the  work.  Trade  in 
China  has  fallen  off  very  much :  by  the  failure  of  one 
of  the  native  merchants  I  have  lost  six  thousand  dol- 
lars. May  this  find  you  all  in  life  and  health,  and  in 
the  enjoyment  of  the  Divine  blessing.     Farewell. 

"  Ever  your  afiectionate  brother, 

"  Robert  Morrison." 

From  the  following  letters  it  will  appear  that 
the  liberal  feelings  which  influenced  the  subject  of 
these  Memoirs  in  his  efforts  to  extend  the  Redeemer  s 

*  The  design  was  relinquished,  in  consequence  of  a  change  taking 
place  in  the  authorities. 


1830.]  LETTER   FROM   THE   REV.    J.   EVART9.  435 

kingdom,  were  not  unacknowledged  by  those  who 
felt  the  importance  of  his  services. 

'*  Missionary  Rooms,  Boston,  Oct.  15,  1830. 

"  My  Dear  Sir, 

"  Your  kind  letter  of  March  25th,  came  to  hand  on 
the  3rd  of  September. 

"  Permit  me,  in  the  name  of  our  Committee,  and 
of  our  Board,  to  thank  you  for  the  cordial  manner  in 
which  you  received  Mr.  Bridgman ;  for  your  aid  in 
procuring  a  teacher  for  him,  and  especially  for  your 
generosity  in  furnishing  him  with  books  to  pursue  the 
study  of  the  language.  These  are  great  favours,  for 
which  we  would  devoutly  thank  the  great  Author  of 
all  good. 

"  How  different  are  the  circumstances  in  which  Mr. 
Bridgman  enters  upon  his  work,  from  those  by  which 
you  were  surrounded,  when  you  entered  the  eastern 
world.  As  the  preparation  seems  made  for  more  ex- 
tensive operations  in  China,  may  we  not  hope  that 
faithful  men,  in  sufficient  numbers,  will  be  furnished 
speedily  by  the  great  Head  of  the  church,  so  that  the 
progress  of  the  work  shall  never  cease. 

"  We  have  no  doubt  that  you  will  continue  to  favour 
Mr.  Bridgman  and  Mr.  Abeel  with  your  patronage 
and  your  advice,  and  that  you  will  experience  a  rich 
reward  in  doing  so.  We  shall  be  very  thankful  for 
any  suggestions  which  you  may  make  to  us,  in  regard 
to  Missionary  operations  in  the  east ;  particularly  on 
the  point,  how  far  we  can  soon  employ  the  press  for 
the  benefit  of  China. 

"  I  am.  Rev.  and  dear  Sir,  with  sincere  respect 
and  affection,  your*s  in  the  Gospel, 

"  Jerh.  Evarts." 
"  Rev.  Robert  Morrison,  D.D. 

2f2 


436  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1630. 

FROM  THE  RIGHT  HON.  LORD  BEXLEY. 
"  Dear  Sir,  **  ^oot*«  Cray  Place,  2  Sept  1830. 

"  Though  I  trust  before  this  letter  reaches  you,  you 
will  have  received  from  Mr.  Pritchett  the  thanks  of 
the  Prayer-Book  and  Homily  Society,  for  the  new 
edition  of  the  Chinese  Prayer-Book ;  I  cannot,  as  the 
President  of  that  Society,  omit  to  express  my  personal 
sense  of  this  proof  of  your  continued  labours  in  the 
cause  of  the  Gospel,  and  of  your  liberal  feelings 
towards  the  Church  of  England.  I  trust,  that  if 
the  members  of  that  church  have  hitherto  been 
culpably  remiss  in  their  endeavours  to  promote  the 
spiritual  improvement  of  those  many  millions  of  the 
human  race,  for  whom  you  have  done  so  much, 
a  more  active  spirit  is  about  to  arise  among  them: 
and  I  cannot  but  hope,  that  in  many  instances,  this 
apparent  apathy  has  arisen  from  hopelessness  of  suc- 
cess, and  not  from  want  of  attachment  to  a  cause 
so  holy  and  so  important.  Many  difficulties,  I  trust, 
will,  through  the  Divine  blessing  be  removed,  by 
the  success  of  your  labours,  in  the  translation  of 
the  Scriptures,  and  the  establishment  of  the  Anglo- 
Chinese  College.  To  that  important  Institution,  you 
have  recalled  my  attention,  by  your  letter  to  Mr. 
Pritchett,  of  the  24th  November  last ;  and  I  am  happy 

in  giving  a  further  contribution  to  its  funds. 

«  «  #  #  • 

'^  At  the  same  time,  I  cannot  but  fear  that  the  Col- 
lege, valuable  as  it  must  appear  to  all  who  reflect  upon 
its  object  and  effect,  will  obtain  less  of  the  public 
favour  in  England  than  is  bestowed  upon  establish- 
ments, less  valuable  in  themselves,  but  more  frequently 
brought  under  the  eye  of  the  public.  I  yet  hope,  it 
is  destined  by  Providence  to  become,  with  its  kindred 
institution  of  Bishop's  College,  at  Calcutta,  a  shining 


1830.]      PHOFESSOH  Neumann's  visit  to  china.       437 

light  to  illuminate  the  regions  of  the  East ;  and  that 
your  health  and  strength  will  long  be  preserved  to 
witness  its  prosperity,  and  to  see  the  eifects  of  your 
labours  in  the  wide  diiFnsion  of  the  truths  of  the 
Gospel.  BeUeve  me,  Sir,  with  sincere  esteem  and 
friendship,  '*  Your's  truly, 

"  Rev.  Dr.  Morrison.  "  Besley." 


I 

I 


PROM  Oil.  MORRISON. 
'*  My    Dear  Sib,  "  Canton,  Nov.  8th,  1830. 

"  I  have  had  tlie  pleasure  to  hear  from  you  thrice, 
by  the  ships  of  the  season.  Once  by  Professor  Neu- 
mann,* to  whom  I  have  rendered  every  civility  in  my 
power.  His  general  knowledge  and  good  sense  made 
him  an  agreeable  visitor  in  our  family,  frequently 
before  I  came  up  to  Canton.  Mr.  Dent  has  liberally 
given  him  a  room  and  place  at  his  table  at  Canton, 
Yours  of  April  6th  and  29th  came  also  safely  to  hand. 
Many  thanks  for  the  papers  you  sent  me.  Such  pre- 
sents are  very  acceptable.  The  extraordinary  pro- 
ceedings of  last  season  have  passed  away,  and  have 
been  succeeded  by  still  more  extraordinary  measures 
this  season.  Many  British  and  Foreign  Merchants 
are  of  opinion  that  the  commercial  affairs  of  China 
were,  last  year,  rather  marred  than  mended.  The  irre- 
sponsibility of  the  Cohong  for  each  other,  and  the 
paying  duties  at  an  early  period,  have  made  the  con- 
dition of  the  foreign  merchant  worse  than  it  was 
before.  However,  I  do  not  profess  to  have  knowledge 
on  this  subject ;  and  though  the  sentiment  I  have 
expressed  above,  coincides  with  my  views,  I  place  no 
Conhdence  in  it. 

"  On  the  5th  of  October  we  arrived  in  Canton,  a 

■  Of  the  Royal  College  of  Berlin.  He  waa  introduced  by  Sir 
George  Staunton  to  Dr.  Morrison ;  his  object  was  to  purchase  books 
for  the  King*s  Library. 


438  CORREBPOKDBNCE.  [1830. 

few  days  later  than  was  intended,  in  consequence 
of  a  partial  typhon  at  Macao.  Before  leaving,  we 
heard  of  a  Captain  Makenzie,  a  Scotchman,  but  in  the 
Dutch  Batavian  Service,  having  been  killed  by  three 
Parsees  iu  an  affray.  The  whole  proceedings  you  will 
see  in  the  Canton  Register.  The  Chinese  Government 
demanded  them  to  be  delivered  up,  that  the  murderers 
might  be  executed,  according  to  two  precedents  which 
they  quoted,  which  occurred  in  the  reign  of  Keen-lung. 
They  proceeded  to  Whampoa  to  disinter  the  remains 
and  examine  the  wound.  The  Wei-yuen  sent  by  the 
government  dug  up  till  he  reached  the  coffin,  when 
being  informed  that  the  ^Parsees  had  been  sent  out  of 
the  country,  he  desisted.  The  Governor  throughout 
was  violent  in  his  threats  if  the  Parsees  were  not  de- 
livered up.  He  was  already  angry  because  his  orders 
were  disobeyed.     He  then  heard  that  Mrs.  B  had 

come  up,  and  that  some  of  the  young  men  went  in  chairs 
to  the  hongs.  Out  came  a  thundering  edict  to  expel 
the  "  foreign  woman,"*  and  disallow  sedan-chairs.  Bar- 
barian  merchants  must  not  presume  to  overstep  their 

rank,  but  walk  on   foot.**f     Mrs.  B did  not  go. 

Then  Howqua  came  with  a  solemn  message  to  the 
Committee  from  governor  Le,  saying,  that  if  she  did 
not  go,  a  military  force  would  be  sent  in  two  or  three 
days  to  force  her  away.  On  this  threat  being  uttered 
and  written  down  by  Howqua's  request,  the  Committee 
brought  up,  and  planted  at  the  gate  of  the  Factory, 
two  eighteen  pounders ;  accompanied  by  a  hundred 
men,  armed  with  muskets,  swords,  and  pistols,  &c. 
The  Tseang-keun J  and  Governor  were  greatly  enraged, 

*  An  English  lady  who  had  accompanied  her  husband  to  Canton. 

f  The  Committee  then  issued  an  order,  that  no  one  should  enter 
the  English  Factory  in  chairs;  so  the  bong  merchants  were  obliged 
to  go  a  considerable  distance  on  foot,  as  well  as  the  English 
gentlemen.  \  General. 


» 


I 


1830.]  LETTER    TO    THE    BIBLE    SOtlETY,  43B 

but  did  not  know  well  what  to  do.  After  about  a 
week's  martial  parade,  the  governor  made  a  sort  of  re- 
cantation of  hia  angry  speech,  and  said,  he  would 
"  iiot  raise  an  anny  to  surround  the  Factory  ;"  bo  the 
guns  were  sent  down.  But  the  "  foreign  woman"  re- 
mained, and  three  others  have  since  come,  Mrs,  T 

and  two  American  ladies.  What  will  be  the  next  move 
remains  to  be  seen.  The  Governor  wanted  to  stop 
the  English  trade,  but  the  Hoppo  would  not  consent. 
The  Pai-see  question  is  abandoned  by  the  govemraeut. 
The  lady  cause,  they  have  not  yet  renounced.  An 
insurrection  in  Kwangse,  and  a  demand  for  three 
thousand  troops  to  be  sent,  have  caused  a  division  in 
fevour  of  the  ladies.  Malacca  College  goes  on  as  well 
as  can  be  expected,  after  the  severe  trial  of  losing 
its  two  zealous  principals — Milne  and  Collie.  Mr. 
Kidd  is  now  alone.  Many  thanks  for  the  aid  you  have 
heretofore  given  us.  Pere  Premare's  Notitia  Linguee 
Binicie  is  just  issuing  from  the  College.  It  is  in  quarto. 
I  will  send  a  copy  as  soon  as  possible.  Mrs.  M.  and 
.iamily  are  well.  "  Ever  your's, 

•*  Sir  Geo.  T.  Staunton,  Bart.         Robert  Morhison." 

TO  THE  REV.  A.  BRANDKAM. 

"  Cnnton,  September  7th,  1830. 

"  Your  letter  of  November  25th,  1829,  did  not  arrive 

\  in  China  till  July  25th,  1830.    Considering  that  lean 

L  do  but  little  here,  in  distributing  the  Holy  Scriptures, 

•  1  take  it  very  kindly  your  remembering  me  on  ac- 

I  count  of  past  services.     Leang-afa  has  a  native  under 

L  christian  instruction,  who  desires  a  complete  copy  of 

I  the  Holy  Bible  ;  and    the  American  Missionary,  Mr. 

I  Bridgman,  is  about  to  write  down   to  the  Anglo-Chi- 

neae  College,  for  a  supply  of  the  Chinese  Scriptures,  as 

I  have  no  more  here  to  give  him-     As  our  native  ser- 


440  CORRESPONDENCE.  ^1830. 

vice  consists  chiefly  in  expounding  the  Scriptures^  each 
person  requires  a  Bible  in  his  hand  to  refer  to. 

^^  There  is  a  small  christian  union  formed  in  China 
for  promoting  christian  knowle^e.  Captain  Drum- 
mond^  of  the  Honourable  Company's  ship  ^  Castle 
Huntley/  has  given  the  union  a  number  of  your 
Bibles  and  Testaments,  together  with  some  Prayer, 
books.  Homilies,  and  Tracts. 

*^  There  is  another  violent  attact  made  upon  me  in 
the  French  Journal  Asiatique,  by  SLlaproth,  who,  with 
Remusat,  have  lent  themselves  to  the  Jesuit  faction, 
and  endeavour  to  decry  Protestant  Missionaries. 

"  Professor  Neumann  of  Berlin,  is  here.  He  says, 
justly,  it  is  a  disgrace  to  the  Committee  of  the  Parisian 
Asiatic  Society  to  allow  Klaproth  to  fill  the  pages  of 
the  Journal  with  lies  and  calumny. 

^^  We  have  had  Mr.  Knox  here,  a  medical  gentle- 
man, lately  in  the  Birman  empire.  Professor  Neu- 
mann conferred  with  him,  and  is  convinced  that  the 
Birmese  language,  and  the  Siamese  also,  are  dialects 
of  Chinese,  although  written  in  alphabetic  characters. 

**  May  the  Lord  continue  to  bless  the  labours  of  the 
British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  till  the  knowledge 
of  the  Lord  shall  cover  the  earth  as  the  waters  do 
the  channels  of  the  sea ! 

"  My  son  John  Robert  is  now  with  me  here,  and 
is  a  constant  student  of  Chinese.  Although  only  six- 
teen years  of  age,  he  has  been  appointed  Chinese 
Translator  to  the  British  Merchants  in  Canton.  Should 
his  life  be  spared,  he  will,  I  hope,  at  some  future  day, 
revise  Morrison  and  Milne's  version  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures. 

**  Nathan  Dunn,  Esq.,  one  of  the  Society  of  Friends, 
long  resident  in  China  as  a  merchant,  has  given  the 
union  200  dollars,  towards  printing,  in  Chinese,  the 


I  1831.] 


KLAPR0TU9    HOSTILITY. 


HI 


F 

^wScripture  LeBsons.  Mr.  Bridgman  is  making  tlieeelec- 
^Ftioii.  My  eon  is  selecting  the  Scriptures  in  Dr. 
'      Hawker's    Help    to    Prayer,  which,  when  our  funds 

will  allow,  will  be  printed  in  Chinese. 
^m  "Farewell! 

^^  "  Yours  in  the  faith  of  our  Lord  Jesua  Christ, 

^V  "  Robert  Morrison." 

I' 

1° 

^  II 


Had  Dr.  Morrison  at  any  time  set  up  high  claims 
to  literary  distinction,  or  entered  into  competition  with 
the  siualogues  of  France,  in  a  held  of  labour,  in  which 
they  considered  themselves  unrivalled,  some  pretext 
might  have  been  afforded  for  the  hostility  which  every 
now  and  then  burst  forth  from  the  press,  both  in 
France  and  England,  against  his  labours  ;  but  steady 
in  the  pursuit  of  higher  objects  than  earthly  fame,  he 
was  little  affected  by  such  manifestations  of  envy, 
with  any  other  feeling  than  that  of  pity ;  and 
although  he  sometimes,  after  reading  such  attacks, 
would  address  a  refutation  of  the  calumny  to  the 
editor  of  the  hostile  journal,  still  it  was  generally  laid 
aside,  and  the  subject  dismissed  with  no  other  notice, 
than  a  casual  remark,  such  as  that  in  the  preceding 
letter.  But,  although  Dr.  Morrison  did  not  think  it 
necessary  to  occupy  his  time  in  vindicating  his  repu- 
tation from  unjust  calumnies,  which  he  knew  could 
only  be  received  by  such  as  were  incompetent  tojudge 
of  tlieir  claims  to  credit ;  while  there  was  sufficient 
jevidence  before  the  world  to  satisfy  candid  critics  of 
superiority  of  his  attainments;  still  the  writer  does 
not  consider  it  would  be  doing  justice  to  his  memory, 
were  she  to  withhold  from  this  work,  the  proofs  in 
her  possession,  that  such  calumnies  originated  in  a 
:iouB  or  cavilling  spirit — to  say  the  least  of 
n,      A  curious  specimen  of  this  disposition  was 


442  REPLY  TO  KLAPROTU.  [1830. 

exhibited  at  the  time,  by  Mr.  Klaproth,  who  proposed 
to  a  gentleman,*  as  celebrated  for  his  attainments  in 
Chinese  literature,  as  for  his  extensive  European  erudi- 
tion, to  become  the  enemy  of  Dr.  Morrison,  in  which 
case,  Mr.  K.  would  laud  him,  in  some  forthcoming 
journal!  The  following  reply  was  returned  to  this 
candid  proposal : — 

**  I  cannot  help  regretting  that  you  should  indulge 
in  such  hostility  to  Dr.  Morrison,  concerning  whom 
I  must  declare  (and  I  could  not  without  the  greatest 
baseness  do  otherwise)  that  I  agree  with  Sir  George 
Staunton  in  considering  him  as  *  confessedly  the  first 
Chinese  scholar  in  Europe !'  It  is  notorious  in  this 
country!  that  he  has  for  years  conducted,  on  the 
part  of  the  East  India  Company,  a  very  extensive 
correspondence  with  the  Chinese,  in  the  written 
character  :  that  he  writes  the  language  of  China  with 
the  ease  and  rapidity  of  a  native  :  and  that  the  natives 
themselves  have  long  since  given  him  the  title  of  -^ 

^  Hi  *  Le  Docteur  Ma/  This  testimony  is  decisive : 
and  the  position  which  it  gives  him  is  such,  that  he  may 
regard  all  European  squabbles  regarding  his  Chinese 
knowledge  as  mere  Bairachomyomachiay  (battles  of 
frogs  and  mice).  What  Mr.  Majoribanks  (whose  evi- 
dence and  mine  before  a  Committee  of  the  House  of 
Commons  has  been  most  absurdly  blundered  in  the 
newspapers)  stated,  in  relation  to  a  Japanese  version 
of  the  Dictionary,  is  perfectly  correct.  The  Japanese 
were  so  well  pleased  with  the  Alphabetical  Arrange- 
ment of  the  Second  Part,  that  they  have  availed  them- 
selves of  Dutch  interpretation  to  convert  it  into  their 
own  vernacular  language." 

•  J.  F.  Davis,  Esq.  of  the  Company^s  Service,  and  afterwards 
Chief  Superintendent  of  His  Majesty's  Commission  in  China. 

f  England. 


It  will  appear  from  the  following  correspondence 
that  the  religious,  as  well  as  literary  and  official  la- 
toura,  iu  which  Dr.  Morrison  was  engaged  during  the 
past  year,  continued,  with  little  variation,  to  the  close 
of  the  present — a  few  extracts  from  his  private  letters, 
from  Canton,  will  commence  the  present  period. 


PRIVATE   JOUBNAL. 


"  Canton,  Jan.  28th,  1831. 
"  •  *  On  Sunday  next,  Leang-afa  is  to  baptize 
three  persops,  who  desire  to  be  considered  disciples  of 
tlie  Lord  JesTis  Christ.  They  are,  a  father,  now  in 
his  sixty-second  year,  and  his  two  sons ;  one  twenty- 
two  years  of  age,  and  the  other  seventeen.  The  fa- 
tlier  is  himself  a  person  of  good  education ;  and  his 
sons  have  heretofore  been,  from  childhood,  wholly 
employed  in  native  literature.  Oh !  that  by  the  in- 
fluences of  the  Holy  Spirit,  they  may  be  made  disci- 
ples, not  in  name  only,  but  in  deed  and  in  truth. 
I  "  Leang-afa  hopes  that  their  talents  will  be  devoted 
to  christian  literature,  for  the  bene6t  of  their  coun- 
trymen. His  own  son,  a  boy,  is  now  under  the  kind 
tuition  of  Mr.  Bridgman.  He  is  learning  English." 
"  Paul  says,  2  Cor.  xii.  '  The  children  ought 
not  to  lay  up  for  the  parents,  but  the  parents  for  the 
children ' — referring  to  his  spiritual  children.  Dr. 
Clarke  asks,  should  a  man  lay  up  a  fortune  for  his 
children  1 — Yes  ;  he  adds,  if  there  be  no  poor  within 
his  reach  ! — no  heathen  region  to  which  he  can  con- 
tribute to  send  the  Gospel.  Seriously,  he  says,  it  is 
not  right :  money  saved  to  make  children  independent 
of  their  own  exertions,  has  generally  proved  a  curse. 
"  Evening. — *  *  I  purpose  to  read  Romans  xii. 
to-morrow.  On  the  8th  verse,  *  Let  him  that  showeth 
mercy,  do  it  with  cheerfulness.'  Dr.  A.  Clarke  re- 
marks, that  without  a  reference  to  the  Lord,  a  consi- 


444  PRIVATE   JOURNAL.  [1831. 

deration  of  our  God  and  Saviour's  forbearance  and 
mercy,  notwithstanding  our  ingratitude  to  him — no 
one  can  persevere  in  trying  to  do  good  to  the  ignorant 
and  wretched,  with  cheerfulness,  because  ^  the  poor 
are  often  both  wicked  and  worthless  ;'  and  if  they  do 
not  take  care,  they  will  get  their  hearts  hardened  by 
the  frequent  proofs  they  will  have  of  deception,  ly- 
ing, idleness,  &c.  There  is,  I  apprehend,  great  truth 
in  this  statement,  my  love,  in  reference  to  the  poor, 
even  in  ^  religious  societies,'  (as  he  says,  in  England.) 
And  the  remark  is  very  applicable  to  the  situation  of 
Missionaries  among  ignorant  and  vicious  pagans. 
Missionaries  must  take  care,  lest  they  suffer  them- 
selves to  be  provoked  to  retaliate  so  far,  as  to  withhold 
good,  because  of  evil.  Evil  for  evil,  they  are  not  so 
much  in  danger  of  doing,  but  they  may  lose  the 
spirit  of  pure  benevolence  and  sympathy ;  and  do  the 
work  of  mercy  grudgingly  and  of  necessity ;  instead 
of  with  the  cheerfulness  commanded  by  the  apostle. 
The  love  of  Jesus  Christ  alone  can,  I  think,  make 
our  souls  superior  to  *  deception,  lying,  idleness,'  &c., 
with,  abundance  of  ingratitude  from  those  to  whom 
we  are  constantly  aiming  to  do  good.  I  pray  to  be 
enabled  to  learn  of  Jesus  in  this,  as  well  as  every  other 
particular. 

"  From  some  of  the  Chinese  proverbs,  it  is  evident 
they  experience  instances  of  great  ingratitude  among 
themselves.  As  for  example,  *  If  you  were,  out  of 
kindness,  to  give  your  heart  to  that  person  ;  he  would 
only  regard  you  as  an  object  fit  for  him  to  devour.' 
Again :  *  A  drowning  dog,  escaped  from  the  water, 
ere  he  has  shaken  himself  dry,  will  bite  his  deliverer.' 
To  such  a  vicious  animal  some  human  beings  are  com- 
pared."       •         #         #         # 


fl831.j 


LETTER   TO   THOMAS    FISHER,    ESQ. 


FROM  DR,  MORRISON. 


*  Mv  Dear  Friend 


"  Canton,  Jau.  9,  I83I. 


I 


"  Mrs.  Morrison  is  very  delicate — the  children  con- 
tinue in  tolerable  health,  blessed  be  God.  My  abi- 
lity for  labour  is  very  much  diminished ;  but  I  have 
reason  to  be  very  thankful  for  the  past.  My  life  lias 
been  spared  much  longer  than  I  formerly  expected — 
and  others  are  entering  on  tde  labours  of  the  Lord 
in  these  destitute  regions.  My  time  will  probably  be 
■hort — blessed  Saviour  may  I  be  watching  for  thy 
coming. 

"  Although  our  Language  Institution  has  failed, 
it  is  still  practicable  to  acquire  some  knowledge  of  se- 
veral Asiatic  languages  in  London,  and  I  hope  the 
Missionary  candidates  will  study  before  tliey  go 
abroad.  Still,  however,  there  is  no  school  for  Chinese 
in  England.  The  Anglo-Chinese  College  is  the  only 
place,  I  believe,  in  the  British  dominions  where  Chi- 
nese is  regularly  taught.  The  Select  Committee  here 
have  restored  to  it  one  hundred  dollars  per  month, 
which  the  Bengal  government  took  away.  Mr.  Ma- 
joribanks  is  desirous  of  aiding  us  all  he  can.  I  hope 
the  Court  will  confirm  this  grant — however,  the 
cause  is  in  the  hands  of  him  who  has  all  power  in 
heaven  and  in  earth. 

'*  We  heard  the  other  day  of  the  French  revolu- 
tion— kings  in  Europe  must  learn  wisdom  and  mode- 
ration, otherwise  they  will  all  be  overthrown.  When 
Providence  will  deal  witli  the  proud  enemies  of  Christ 
in  this  land — He  alone  knows ;  but  one  would  think 
the  time  cannot  be  far  off.  Here  all  light  is  shut  out. 
There  is  not  the  least  knowledge  of  civil  liberty,  any 
than  of  religious.  Gross  darkness  covers  the 
teople. 


446  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1831. 

"  Concerning  the  inroad  of  the  Antsegeu,  near 
Cashgar,  nothing  has  been  received  the  last  few  days. 
On  our  new-year*s  day,  in  the  morning,  the  palace  of 
the  governor  of  Canton  was  burnt  to  the  ground.  He 
and  his  family  made  a  narrow  escape.  Two  servant- 
women  were  burnt  to  death.         *         #         # 

^^  Feb.  24.  Here  the  human  mind  seems  stationary, 
rooted  and  fixed  in  idolatry  and  despotism.  Would 
that  we  had  your  favourite  press  in  full  operation  to 
communicate  truth  and  knowledge.  China,  Corea, 
and  Japan,  are  as  yet  impervious  to  the  rays  of  truth, 
both  civil  and  religious.  Would  that  we  had  some 
liberal  and  enlightened  merchants  up  to  the  north- 
east from  this.  There  are  some  small  islands  near 
Japan,  called  Bonen,  which  have  been  suggested  as  a 
good  place  for  a  British  commercial  station.  They 
are  said  to  be  uninhabited,  which  would  make  the 
occupation  of  them  easy. 

"The  disturbances  of  Yarkand  are  seemingly  of 
but  little  importance.  The  last  gazette  speak  of  eight 
hundred  of  the  king's  troops  and  the  populace,  repul- 
sing eight  thousand  of  the  enemy  off  the  walls  of 
Yarkand.         •         ♦         •         ♦ 

"  Ever  faithfully  your's, 
^*  Thomas  Fisher,  Esq.  "  R.  Morrison." 

In  consequence  of  the  financial  reductions  made  by 
Lord  William  Bentinck,  the  grant  of  one  hundred  dol- 
lars a  month  to  the  Anglo-Chinese  College,  from  the 
Penang  government,  was  withdrawn.  The  Select 
Committee  in  China,  however,  with  their  accustomed 
liberality;  restored  the  same  amount,  accompanied  by 
the  following  letter  to  Dr.  Morrison,  expressive  of 
their  sense  of  the  utility  of  that  Institution. 


1831.]  THE   SBLBCT  COMMMITTEe's   LETTER.  44^ 

TO  THE  REV.  DR.  MORRISON,   PRESIDENT  OP  THE  ANGLO- 

CHINESE  COLLEGE  AT  MALACCA. 

"  Sir,  **  British  Factory,  Canton,  7th  Jan.  1831. 

"  We  have  to  acquaint  you,  that  we  have  learnt, 
with  much  regret,  that  the  allowance  which  had  been 
made  by  the  Penang  government,  of  one  hundred 
dollars  per  month,  to  the  College  over  which  you 
preside,  had  lately  been  withdrawn.  We  have  consi- 
dered it  our  duty  to  make  the  same  grant  for  this  cur- 
rent year,  in  the  name  of  the  East  India  Company; 
and  have  recommended  its  continuance  to  the  Court 
of  Directors,  and  entreated  their  further  countenance 
and  support  to  the  Institution.  We  have  ourselves  a 
firm  conviction  of  its  excellence ;  we  believe  it  to  be 
eminently  calculated  to  difiuse  the  light  of  knowledge 
and  of  useful  instruction  through  the  most  remote 
possessions  of  Great  Britain  ;  and  to  assist  in  removing 
those  prejudices,  which  have  so  long  fettered  the  public 
mind  in  this  country,  subjected  it  to  the  influence  of 
an  exclusive  nationality,  and  induced  it  to  regard  with 
indifference  every  thing  foreign  to  its  established 
usages  and  literature. 

"  By  the  means  of  liberal  education,  so  readily  af- 
forded to  the  natives  of  England,  as  well  as  China, 
in  the  learning  and  languages  of  either  country,  we 
consider  the  intercourse  between  the  subject  of  the  two 
empires  will  be  materially  facilitated. 

"  Wishing  the  Anglo-Chinese  College  every  pros- 
perity, and  believing  that  it  is  an  Institution  which 
requires  only  to  be  more  generally  known,  to  have  its 
important  objects  more  universally  appreciated, 
"  We  remain,  Sir,  your  most  obedient  servants, 

"  Charles  Majoribanks. 
J.  F.  Davis. 
J.  N.  Daniel. 
T.  C.  Smith." 


448  DR  Morrison's  reply.  [1831. 

TO  CHARLES  MAJORIBANKS,  ESQ.  PRESIDENT,  AND  THE 

SELECT  COMMITTEE,  &c.,  &e. 

"  Gentlemen,  "  Canton,  Jan.  10, 1831. 

"  I  have,  in  behalf  of  the  Anglo-Chinese  College, 
to  acknowledge  with  gratitude,  your  letter  of  the  7th 
inst.,  informing  me,  as  President  of  that  Institution, 
of  your  having  voted  to  it,  for  the  current  year,  in  the 
name  of  the  East  Company,  an  allowance  of  one 
hundred  dollars  per  month.  I  return  you.  Gentlemen, 
the  representatives  of  the  Hon.  Company  in  China, 
sincere  thanks  for  this  assistance  to  the  College,  and 
for  the  favourable  opinion,  which  facts  have  enabled 
you  to  form,  of  its  literary  and  benevolent  objects. 
Hoping  that  the  Court  will  be  pleased  to  confirm  what 
you  have  done.         "  I  remain.  Gentlemen, 

"  Your  most  obedient  servant, 

"  Robert  Morrison.'' 

A  letter  addressed  at  this  time  to  the  Rev.  D. 
Abeel,  of  America,  shows  the  writer's  affectionate 
interest  in  the  success  and  welfare  of  his  christian 
brethren ;  to  what  country  soever,  or  division  of  the 
christian  church,  they  might  belong. 

"  My  Dear  Brother,       "Macao,  July  13th.  1831. 

"  I  received  a  letter  from  you,  dated  Batavia,  and  I 
have  heard  reports  of  your  having  left  Singapore  for 
Siam,  at  which  place  I  hope  you  have  arrived  in  safety. 
Unless  you  can  send  letters  overland,  the  convey- 
ance between  your  present  residence  and  China  is  very 
circuitous. 

"  Our  hearts  are  deeply  interested  in  your  personal 
welfare  and  public  labours.  The  Lord  grant  you 
health  and  heart  to  spend  your  youth  and  manhood 


183L]  LETTER  TO   THE   REV.    V.  ABBEL.  449 

in  his  service.  My  hard-working  days  are  nearly 
over ;  but  I  rejoice  that  you  and  other  disciples  have 
entered  into  the  field  of  Chinese  husbandry.  Bridge 
man.  King,  and  Talbot,  are  all  in  Macao  at  present. 
We  were  disappointed  in  not  hearing  from  you  when 
at  Singapore.  Your  time  was  indeed  short,  but  five 
minutes  would  have  been  sufficient  to  scribble  a  note. 
You  are  now  in  a  situation  of  much  freer  scope ,  and 
hence  of  deeper  interest  to  the  Chinese,  than  China 
itself.  Would  that  our  fetters  were  broken  here.  We 
seem  to  require  a  faithful  band  of  confessors  and  mar- 
tyrs, foreign  and  native,  to  open  the  closed  gates  of 
this  proud  land. 

"  Our  Union  has  not  received  any  answer  to  the 
Circular  Letter  which  we  sent  forth  to  the  Straits  and 
to  India. 

"  Leang-Afa  is  busy  on  the  Scripture  Lessons,  which 
he  expects  to  finish  in  two  or  three  months :  but  I  am 
in  constant  fear  for  his  safety,  as  he  is  carrying  on  the 
printing  in  the  city  of  Canton.  Since  we  came  to 
Macao  this  season,  we  have  succeeded  very  fairly  with 
the  lithographic  press  in  printing  ornamented  sheet 
tracts. 

"  In  our  domestic  circle,  Mrs.  Morrison  has  been 
the  greatest  sufferer;  having  been  more  than  once 
seriously  indisposed.  The  children  have  all  enjoyed 
their  usual  health.  ♦  #  # 

"  Mrs.  Morrison  and  all  our  family  unite  in  affec- 
tionate regard  to  you,  my  dear  brother.  The  Lord 
bless  you  and  make  you  a  blessing  !  Hope  you  have 
receive  good  accounts  from  your  father-land.  You 
reported  nothing  about  the  district  Ministers  on  Java. 

"  Farewell !     Your's  in  christian  love, 

**  Rev.  D.  Abeel."  "  Robert  Morrison." 

VOL.  II.  2   G 


450  CORR£SPONt)ENC£.  [1831. 

Conformably  with  the  notice  in  a  preceding  page, 
an  extract  from  tlie  letter  of  a  gentleman,  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  literature  of  China,  is  here  intro- 
duced,  which  may  be  viewed  as  an  indirect  testimony 
to  Dr.  Morrison's  merits,  as  a  Chinese  scholar ;  while 
the  letter  which  follows  it,  written  by  himself,  will  at 
least  prove,  that  neither  candour,  nor  a  love  of  truth, 
influenced  his  assailants,  in  their  attempts  to  depre- 
ciate his  labours 

TO  DR.  MORRISON. 

"  Dear  Morrison,  **  London,  April  24th,  1831. 

**I  have  just  received  a  letter  from  Dr.  Watson, 
dated  Paris,  March  27th,  requesting  me  to  endeavour, 
agreeably  to  my  promise,  to  procure  for  him  and  friends 
the  Chinese  books,  of  which  I  herewith  send  you  a  list 
I  transcribe  what  he  says  on  the  subject.  *  #  ♦ 
I  take  very  much  to  heart  the  promoting  of  the  know- 
ledge of  the  Chinese  language,  and  am  very  anxious 
to  further  the  views  of  Dr.  Watson  and  Monsieur 
Julien:  I  do  therefore  earnestly  entreat  you,  (who 
being  by  universal  consent,  excepting  that  of  the  en- 
vious, the  splenetic,  and  the  ignorant,  acknowledged 
to  be  the  Coryphaeus  of  Chinese  literature,  and  in 
real  substantial  and  practical  knowledge  of  the  lan- 
guage to  he  facile  princepsy  as  they  say,  must  needs  have 
the  same  feeling  with  respect  to  the  fir6t  of  these  ob- 
jects as  myself,)  kindly  to  take  this  trouble  upon  your- 
self, both  for  the  sake  of  the  object  itself,  and  for  the 
sake  of  me,  an  old  acquaintance,  and  fellow-resident 
at  Canton ;  and  to  be  assured  that  your  kindness  and 
trouble  in  giving  orders  for  the  purchasing,  inspecting, 
packing,  and  despatching  the  books  in  question,  di- 
rected to  Messrs.  Payne  and  Foss,  Booksellers,   Pall- 


1831.] 


LETTER    FROM    T.    MANNING,    ¥JH). 


451 


Mftll,  will  be  gmtefuUy  ackiiowledgetl  botli  by  iny- 
■elf  and  by  my  Parisian  friends. 

*'  Since  I  8aw  you  last  I  have  been  on  the  Conti- 
nent   with .       We    were    some    time    in    Italy, 

much  to  my  gratification.  I  sojourned  a  considerable 
time  at  Paris.  I  found  many  there  who  busy 
themselves  about  the  Chinese  language,  but  none 
that  I  think  likely  to  be  of  any  great  service  in  illus- 
trating it,  except  Monsieur  Julien.  They  avail  them- 
selvea  of  the  labours  of  others,  their  predecessors,  and 
get  insight  into  the  meaning  of  texts,  they  never 
could  have  made  out  by  themselves,  and  then  try  to 
turn  the  tables,  by  all  kinds  of  jugglery,  concealment, 
carping,  &.c.,  and  assume  the  air  of  masters,  where 
they  are  but  poor  scholars,  •  »  « 

As  for  Mr.  Klaproth,  be  quarrels  with  almost  every 
body.  It  seems  in  hiui  to  be  a  sort  of  malady !  I 
cannot  but  think  that  part  of  his  spleen  against  you 
is  occasioned  by  the  loss  he  sustains,  iu  not  finding 
such  copious  stores  of  information  that  were  so  use- 
ful to  him,  in  the  succeeding  volumes  of  your  Dic- 
'tionary  as  he  did  in  the  first.  I,  having  no  fortune, 
live  80  out  of  the  world,  that  I  absolutely  never  had 
the  means  of  consulting  your  Dictionary  till  I  was  at 
Paris.  I  know  you  meant  to  let  me  have  a  copy  of  it. 
Toone  also  promised  me  one  ;  but  I  never  got  one,  nor, 
I  will  honestly  confess,  did  I  know,  till  I  had  the  op- 
portunity of  leisurely  consulting  it  at  the  Institute  at 
Paris,  how  much  Instruction  and  instructive  matter  1 
have  so  long  been  deprived  of  availing  myself.  No 
doubt  you  will  readily  believe  me, — you,  who  per- 
fectly know  the  difficulty— when  I  say  that  I  could 
criticise  it  in  a  hundred  places, — ^ycs,  I  could.  But, 
ere  to  compile  a  new  one  myself,  should  1  not 
»nsult  youra,  and  use  it,  and  often  learn  upon  it? 
2o  2 


452  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1831 

and  could  I,  after  that,  conscientiously  say,  that  I  had 
received  but  small  aid  from  it  ?  And^  after  all,  could 
I  ever  imagine  that  my  own  would  not  be  fairly  liable 
to  just  as  many  criticisms  to  be  made  by  my  suc- 
cessors 1  But  so  the  world  is,  as  we  see !  For  myself, 
I  make  but  little  progress ;  what  difficulties  remain, 
I  cannot  solve  without  the  assistance  of  a  learned  na- 
tive, and  that  I  cannot  hope  for.  What  I  know,  that 
I  will  give  to  the  public,  confessing  my  deficiencies.  . 
When  you  publish  any  thing  new,  I  shall  expect  you 
to  send  me  a  copy.      For  the  mean  time,  believe   me 

10  be,  "Your's  faithfully, 

"  T.  Manning." 
*  P.  S.    What  pity  it  is  that  your  Chinese  Library 
here  should  be  shut  up !     I  know  it's  not  your  fault, 

but  the  fault  of  them,  who,  morally  speaking,  ought 
to  purchase  it." 

It  may  here  be  proper  to  mention,  that  in  virtue  of 
an  arrangement  concluded  by  the  Trustees,  appointed 
by  Dr.  Morrison,  Sir  George  T.  Staunton,  Mr.  Alers  . 
Hankey,  and  Mr.  Sam.  Mills,  with  the  Council  of  the 
University  College,  London,  that  the  Chinese  Li- 
brary was  presented  to  that  Institution ;  to  remain 
under  the  name  of  the  "  Morrison  Library."  There  it 
will  be  found  accessible  to  students  of  every  denomina- 
tion. 

TO  THE  EDITOR  OF  THE  ASIATIC  JOURNAL. 
"  Sir,  **China,  Julys,  1831. 

"Last  evening  I  received  your  journal  for  Nov. 
1830.  In  it  I  find  a  defence  of  Morrison  against  the 
reiterated  accusations  of  M.  KJaproth.  That  indivi- 
dual has  of  late  printed  so  much  vituperation  against 
me,  of  such  an  extravagant  character,  I  did  not  think 
it   worth    while   to  notice  his  attacks.     All  he  has 


I 


1831.J  LETTEK   TO   THE   ASIATIC   JOURNAL.  453 

said  is  reducible  to  two  parts — mattere  of  fact,  and 
eubjectfl  of  opinion.  He  has  so  egregiously  rnia- 
stated  the  matters  of  fact,  that  I  have  no  confidence 
in  the  truth  of  any  of  his  opinions.  He  first  slated 
the  paradox,  and  afterwards  expended  a  great  deal  of 
verbal  criticism  to  prove  it — that  Morrison  was  not 
the  author  of  the  English  and  Chinese  Dictionary, 
which  went  by  his  name.  Next,  he  denied  that  Mor- 
rison had  ever  translated  the  Evening  and  Morning 
Prayers  of  the  English  Church  ;  and  added,  indeed, 
that  Morrison  could  not  distinguiah  between  a  volume 
containing  the  Psalms  of  David,  and  the  English 
Church  prayers. 

"  Now,  as  I  am  as  sure,  as  personal  conscious- 
ness can  make  me,  that  I  wrote  the  Dictionary  at- 
tributed to  me;  that  I  translated  (I  believe,  for  the 
first  time  in  the  world,)  the  Psalms  of  king  David 
into  Chinese ;  and  also  the  Prayers  of  the  English 
Church  ;  of  what  use  is  it  for  me  to  address  reason- 
ings to  a  man,  who  has  the  fool-hardineas  to  believe  his 
own  malicious  surmises,  rather  than  simple  matters  of 
fact,  which  are  capable  of  the  fullest  proof;  and 
to  spend  a  great  deal  of  time  in  strenuous  efforts  to 
persuade  Europe  to  believe  his  untruths. 

"  You  have,  in  page  229,  quoted  Mr.  Klaproth'fl 
tirade  against  the  manner  in  which  the  Dictionary 
was  compiled,  I  know  of  no  better  way  of  writing  a 
Dictionary  of  any  language,  than  that  which  I  pur- 
sued; namely,  to  make  use  of  all  the  native  Diction- 
aries I  could  collect,  with  the  original  books  referred 
to  in  them ;  to  employ  native  scholars  to  assist  me  in 
consulting  those  several  works,  and  in  ascertaining 
their  exact  meaning.  That  these  '  Chinese  bachelors 
had  a  daily  stipend,'  is  very  true,  and  I  tliink,  was  very 
equitable.    That  Morrison  spoke  to  them,  as  Klaproth 


454  CORRESPONDSNCS.  [183L 

asserts,  in  the  Canton  dialect,  or  the  'Portuguese 
Lingua  franca^  used  at  Macao/  is  utterly  false.  Dr. 
Morrison  always  spoke  to  his  natiye  assistants  in  the 
Mandarin  tongue,  in  which  dialect  he  has  c<mYened 
with  Chinese  of  every  rank  and  of  every  province  in 
the  empire.  The  Chinese  scholars  who  assisted  him, 
(three  of  whom  are  already  dead,)  knew  not  a  word 
either  of  English  or  Portuguese.  To  these  means 
Dr.  Morrison  added  such  help  as  he  could  derive  from 
several  MS.  Dictionaries  of  the  old  Missionaries,  in 
English  and  French,  and,  latterly,  the  printed  copy  of 
Father  Basil's  Dictionary.  Further,  the  native  scho- 
lars collected  colloquial  phrases  and  terms,  and  Dr. 
Morrison  continually  selected  words  himself  and 
phrases  from  the  Chinese  books,  which  he  daily  read. 
The  third  part  of  the  Dictionary  was  almost  entirely 
composed  of  these  selections.  This  is  what  Mr. 
Klaproth  calls  the  'manufacturing  system  of  Eng- 
land.' In  what  better  way  a  German  sceptic  could 
manufacture  a  Dictionary,  it  may  be  left  for  Mr. 
Klaproth  to  point  out.  In  the  whole  of  the  work, 
there  was  no  mere  copying  from  one  book  into  another ; 
no  mere  translation  from  one  langui^e  into  another ; 
but  an  exercise  of  judgment  and  choice,  throughout : 
and  if  any  man  may  be  called  the  author  of  a  Dic- 
tionary, Morrison  may  justly  be  called  the  author  of 
the  Dictionary  attributed  to  him. 

"  The  story  about  the  Psalter  and  the  Prayers,  in 
which  *  M.  Klaproth  proceeds  to  vindicate  the  accu- 
racy of  his  remarks,'  is  too  absurd  to  deserve  notice. 
Klaproth  got  hold  of  the  wrong  book.  The  fact  is, 
that  Morrison  (as  has  been  said  above)  translated  King 
David's  Psalms.  He  also  translated  a  part  of  the  Eng- 
lish  Liturgy  into  Chinese.  The  Psalms  are  printed 
ill  one  volume,  as  a  part  of  the  Holy  Bible  ;  and  they 


1831.] 


LETTER    TU    THE    ASIATIC    JOURNAL 


466 


\ 


are  printed  as  a  Psalter  also  united  with  the  Prayers, 
in  one  volume.  Since  you,  Sir,  eay  the  so-called 
'  TranslatioTiof  the  Morning  and  Evening  Prayers  of 
the  English  Church,  really  contains  the  Psalter  only, 
it  would  appear,  indeed,  that  there  exists  some  mis- 
take in  the  title  of  the  translation,  which  Dr.  Morri- 
son aloue  can  explain.'  I  have  thought  it  right  to 
explain,  although  there  are  people  in  London,  who 
could,  and  therefore  who  should,  have  explained  it 
before — and  which  Mr.  Klaproth,  by  a  little  research, 
might  have  explained  to  himself,  and  to  every  body 
else.  I  saw  Mr.  Klaproth  in  Paris,  I  conversed  with 
him  in  London,  and  he  professed  to  have  derived  ad- 
vantage from  my  Dictionary.  He  saw  my  Chinese 
Library,  and  desired  to  take  to  Paris  some  of  the 
scarcest  works  in  it ;  but  having  heard  from  a  Russian 
envoy,  that  the  emperor  Alexander  did  not  like  K.'s 
over-attachment  to  books,  his  request  was  denied. 
This  'Jaute '  of  mine  he  seems  never  to  have  forgiven. 
How  absurd  his  invitation  to  the  Parisians,  to  come 
and  satisfy  themselves  that  the  Book  of  Psalms  did 
not  contain  the  English  Prayers,  and  that  therefore 
Morrison  was  not  able  to  disdnguish  the  one  from  the 
other ;  although  Morrison  in  fact  wrote  them  both 
■with  his  own  hand  !  Klaproth  however  safely  and  cha- 
ritably said,  he  supposed  that  Morrison  had  obtained 
some  MS. — printed  what  he  did  not  understand — and 
'  Bo  imposed  upon  the  world.  And  this  supposition 
he  calls  on  Europe  to  believe,  because  he  has 
said  it. 

'*  The  title  of  the  Prayers  in  Chinese,  is  represented 
by  Mr.  Klaproth,  as  '  full  of  barbarisms.'  He  says, 
•the  '  Mornings  and  Evenings  of  the  whole  year,'  ought 
to  have  been  expressed  so  and  so.  And  you,  Mr. 
Editor,  say  his  version  is  *  doubtless  preferable.'  This 
is  matter  of  opinion.     But  the  phrase,  '  Mornings  and 


456  correbpondbuce.  [1831. 

Evenings  of  the  whole  year/  is  not  that  used  in  the 
English  Prayer-Book,  There  it  is,  *  The  order  for 
Morning  (and  Evening)  Prayer  daily,  throughout  the 
year/  To  render  this,  Morrison  has  said,  Patterns,  or 
Forms,  of  Prayer  in  order  for  every  Day  throughout  the 
Year.  The  word  Shlh  ^ ,  Forms j  Klaproth  has  mis- 
taken for  =^  YXh,  which,  he  says,  is  the  cypher  for 
^  twoy  whereas  it  is  an  ancient  form  of  the  character 
for  one.  If  Morrison  intended,  says  Klaproth,  'second 
preface,  or  second  order,  he  should  have  written  Yih 
seuy  or  te  yih  seu,  §rc.  Now  Morrison  neither  meant 
to  say,  nor  has  said,  any  thing  about  ^st  preface 
or  second  preface,  but  has  said  very  intelligibly  in 
Chinese,  *  Forms  in  order,  for  Morning  and  Eve  ning 
Prayers,  daily,  throughout  the  year.* 

"  With  respect  to  the  verbal  criticisms  generally  of 
M.  Klaproth,  I  do  not  judge  it  worth  while  to  enter 
into  dispute.  And  in  this  department,  you,  Mr. 
Editor,  are  not  versed  enough  in  Chinese  to  advocate 
my  cause  so  well,  as  you  have  done  in  matters  of 
general  philology,  good  sense,  and  sound  reasoning. 
You  admit  me  wrong,  when  I  could  prove  myself 
right.  But  to  whom  are  such  appeals  to  be  made  ? 
The  public  do  not  pretend  to  be  Sinalogues.  Why 
disgust  them  with  grammarians*  *  brawls*  (criaille- 
ries)  1  Language  is  only  a  means  to  gain  with  the 
virtuous  some  good  end.  Tlie  grammarians  may  be 
acute  and  diligent,  they  may  possess  memory  and  assi- 
duity, but  unless  their  labours  terminate  in  something 
physically  or  morally  useful,  they  may  as  well  sit 
still,  sleep,  and  say  nothing. 

As  to  examples  of  my  '  favJtes '  and  omissions,  &c., 
I  have  said  above,  that^  to  address  myself  on  a  subject 
to  a  man,  who  has  no  regard  for  truth,  is  a  complete 
waste  of  time.     I  happened  once*  to  speak  publicly 

•  When  in  Paris,  in  1824. 


LETTER   TO   THE    ASIATIC    JOURNAL. 


457 


I 


1831.] 

about  the  Buddhists  of  China,  but  said  notliing  ou 
that  occasion  of  the  Taou  sect.  Klaproth  forthwith 
published  an  assertion,  that  Morrison  did  not  know  of 
the  existence  of  that  sect,  allhough  some  years  before 
he  had  printed  some  account  of  it,  and  Klaproth  had 
abused  (for  one  cannot  call  it  criticised)  the  work  in 
which  the  account  was  contained.  A  man  who,  like 
Klaproth,  can  conjure  up  great  nations,  of  which 
nobody  ever  heard,  and  unknown  MS.  which  nobody 
ever  saw,  to  suit  his  philological  or  malicious  pur- 
poses, is  quite  secure  in  his  own  theory.  'The  Im- 
perial Chinese  Lexicon,'  says  so-and-so,  but  Father 
Basil  has  adopted  a  different  definition,  and  M.  Klap- 
roth pronounces  in  favour  of  the  latter !  '  Whoever 
then  does  not  bow  to  his  dictum,  will  be  sure  of  a 
torrent  of  abuse  in  some  forthcoming  Journal  Asiatique. 
To  conclude :  it  is  only  to  be  wished,  that  the 
Savant  Klaproth  would  write,  or  translate  a  Oihiese 
iooA  (which  had  never  been  translated  before);  the 
world  would  then  be  able  to  judge  of  his  knowledge. 
He  has  indeed  given  us  three  words,  quoted  in  your 
journal,  ^  ^  ^Tsze  been  chiug,  which  I  this  day 
laid  before  a  well-educated  Chinese,  to  ascertain  the 
sense  he  gathered  from  them.  After  reading  them  over, 
and  thinking  for  a  minute  or  two,  and  trying  hard  to 
find  a  meaning,  he  said, '  Clung  is  taken  in  different 
senses — one  is  that  of  J£  Ching,  to  correct.  I  suppose 
the  writer  meant  to  say,  '  Make  thyself  worthy  and 
correct.'  You,  Mr.  Editor,  have  rendered  the  words, 
or  presume  they  should  be  rendered,  *  Overthrow  of 
self-conceit.'  If  our  learned  friend,  Klaproth,  will 
apply  to  himself  the  *  Chinese  bachelor's  interpreta- 
tion, and  join  it  to  your  supposition,  he  will,  I  doubt 
not,  reap  great  benefit  from  this  amicable  discussion.' 
"  Your's  obediently, 

"  KoBERT    MoliRlSON." 


458  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1832. 

From  accounts  of  the  progress  of  the  Chinese  Mis- 
sion,  which  were  transmitted  to  the  Bible  and  Tract 
Societies,  and  to  the  Treasurer  of  the  London  Mission- 
ary Society,  this  year,  the  following  extracts  are  given, 
without  regard  to  the  order  of  their  dates. 


TO  THE  BIBLE  SOCIETY. 

*♦  Canton,  Oct  29,  1832. 

*  *  *  By  the  latest  accounts  from  the  College 
at  Malacca,  I  understand  the  new  edition  of  the 
Chinese  Scriptures  is  nearly  completed.  And  I  have 
the  pleasure  to  say,  that  from  Canton  I  am  sending 
a  box  of  the  Chinese  Bible,  with  Prayer-books  and 
Tracts,  to  the  north  of  China,  Corea,  and  Japan.  Mr. 
Gutzlaff,  late  of  Bankok,  takes  charge  of  them. 

"  I  have  for  many  years  felt  deeply  anxious  to  send 
the  word  of  life  to  those  regions.  And  I  sincerely 
wish  that  some  intercourse  may  be  opened  with  those 
dark  lands.  The  public  mind  is  here  a  good  deal 
turned  to  the  subject,  and,  as  usual  in  such  cases,  is 
much  divided."  #  #  # 

^^  I  have  the  pleasure  to  state,  that  the  American 
churches  have  taken  up  the  cause  of  China.  Messrs. 
Bridgman  and  Abeel  were  their  first  Missionaries. 
Mr.  Stevens  has,  a  day  or  two  ago,  arrived  on  the 
coast,  in  the  ship  Morrison,  named  after  me,  I  believe, 
by  its  pious  owner,  Mr.  Olyphant,  a  devoted  servant 
of  Christ,  and  a  friend  of  China.  He  is  of  the  Pres- 
by terian  church ;  yet  opens  his  factory  in  China  for 
the  reception  of  Missionaries  from  congregational 
churches.  Mr.  Stevens  is  sent  to  preach  to  seamen  in 
China,  and  also  to  study  the  language  for  Missionary 
purposes. 

^^  The  American  christians  wish  their  Missionaries 


I 
I 


I 


■  1832.]  LETTER   TO   TUB   BIBLE   80C1ETV.  459 

to  distribute  Bibles  at  American  expense ;  to  whicli 
of  course  we  shall  have  no  objection.  Mr.  Bridgnian 
and  I  have  consulted  about  printing  an  edition  of  our 
translation  in  China  for  his  constituents — but  have  not 
yet  decided  on  tlie  measure.  Thus,  my  dear  friend, 
the  means  are  increasing  by  the  Lord's  good  hand 
upon  us  ;  and  I  trust  his  hand  will  work,  with  us,  and 
with  my  successors  in  this  field  of  labour. 

"  During  the  summer  I  have  employed  our  litho- 
graphic press  in  printing  Scripture  sheet  tracts.  I 
have  a  confidence  and  a  hope  in  the  pwe  text  of  holy 
Scripture,  as  derived  from  Divine  inspiration,  far  su- 
perior to  any  human  composition,  for  the  sake  of  the 
heathen.  Yesterday  Leang-Aia  wrote  out  for  a  sheet 
tract,  that  forcible  and  inimitable  exhibition  of  the 
vanity  of  idols,  contained  in  Isaiah,  44th  chapter,  which 
happened  by  the  way  to  be  the  lesson  of  the  day,  and 
was  read  by  us,  in  our  little  (unseen)  native  congre- 
gation. 

*'  Afa  has  explained  the  Scriptures  to  his  aged 
pagan  father,  and  mentioned  with  grateful  hoj)e,  that 
the  old  man's  heart  was  somewhat  softened.  He  lis- 
tened to  the  word,  and  knelt  down  to  join  in  prayer 
to  the  living  and  true  God,  through  Jesus  Christ. 

"  There  is  a  christian  unioji  in  China,  consisting  of 
a  number  sufficient  to  constitute  a  primitive  church,* 
according  to  the  maxim,  that  where  three  believers  in 
Jesus  are  assembled,  they  form  a  church.  Tliia 
union  has  sent  down  to  the  Straits — the  Anglo-Chi- 
nese College — for  some  Chinese  Bibles.  Both  Testa- 
ments make  rather  a  large  book  in  Chinese.  It  oc- 
curred to  me  to-day,  that  we  might  with  advantage 
give  the  Testament  alone ;  or  perhaps  bind  up  one 
of  the  Gospels  with  the  Acts  and  Epistles.     •        ' 

*  On  thii  subject  sec  Appendix,  page  46, 


460  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1832. 

^^  Your's  affectionately  in  the  faith  and  hope  of 
the  Lord. 

"  R.  Morrison.** 

TO  THE  TRACT  SOCIETY. 

"  Macao,  Feb.  26th,  1832. 

•  *  "It  has  afforded  me  satisfaction  to  hear 
from  Mr.  Gutzlaff,  that  he  found  at  the  different  ports 
where  he  touched  on  the  coast  of  China,  as  high  up  as 
the  eastern  end  of  the  great  wall,  a  knowledge  of  the 
christian  hooks  and  tracts  which  had  been  printed 
and  issued  from  Malacca.  That  much  of  the  seed  of 
the  word  thus  sown  will  fall  by  the  way  side,  or 
among  stones  or  thorns,  may  be  expected ;  but  may  it 
not  also  be  hoped  that  some  will  fall  on  good  ground, 
and  bring  forth  fruit,  in  some  thirty,  sixty,  or  a  hun- 
dred fold. 

"  Mr.  Bridgman,  from  the  United  States,  has  re- 
printed one  of  Dr.  Milne's  tracts  in  Canton,  and  dis- 
tributed one  thousand  copies.  They  are  indeed  but  as 
a  drop  in  the  ocean ;  but  still,  a  handful  of  seed  sown 
on  the  tops  of  the  mountains  may  produce  eventually 
a  forest,  that  shall  shake  like  the  cedars  of  Lebanon. 

"  My  Domestic  Instructor,  and  the  Scripture  Les- 
sons, are  printed  uniform^  and  afford  a  historical,  doc- 
trinal, and  practical  view  of  our  holy  religion.  I 
know  not,  if  you  are  willing  to  consider  them  tracts, 
and  allow  funds  to  multiply  copies  of  them.  The  blocks 
are  already  cut,  and  only  wait  for  more  pecuniary  aid 
to  be  printed.  I  have  desired  a  copy  of  the  Scripture 
Lessons  to  be  sent  to  you. 

"  Present  my  christian  regards  to  the  gentlemen  of 
your  Committee,  and  believe  me  at  all  times  a  willing 
i^ent  to  promote  the  great  and  good  object  of  the 
Tract  Society. 


1832.]  LETTER  TO   THE   TRACT   SOCIETY.  461 

"  The  Tracts  which  you  formerly  gave  me  for  gra- 
tuitous distribution,  have  all  been  sent  forth  in  every 
direction.  I  shall  be  thankful  for  a  new  supply  in 
various  languages.  ii  Your  s  truly, 

"  R.  Morrison." 

The  Domestic  Instructor  was  extended  to  four 
octavo  volumes.  Dr.  Morrison  gave  £200  himself 
towards  defraying  the  expense  of  printing  it.  His 
acts  of  private  liberality  were  not  less  munificent  than 
his  public  ones ;  he  subscribed  largely  to  cases  of  in- 
dividual necessity,  as  well  as  to  objects  of  public  be- 
nevolence. The  tradespeople  who  served  in  his  fa- 
mily, and  the  domestics  who  had  left,  as  well  as  those 
in  his  service,  he  considered  to  have  a  claim  to 
pecuniary  assistance  in  their  domestic  necessities, 
such  as  marriages,  sickness,  death,  &c. ;  besides  pay- 
ing them  liberally  for  their  services.  It  has  already 
been  noticed  that  Dr.  Morrison's  sympathy  was 
strongly  excited  in  behalf  of  the  spiritual  condition  of 
the  sailors  annually  visiting  the  port  of  Canton  ;  and 
the  means  he  employed  for  bettering  it.  He  now 
had  the  satisfaction  to  see  Divine  worship  regularly 
conducted  at  Whampoa,  where  all  who  were  permitted 
to  attend  it,  had  the  benefit  of  the  instructions  of  a 
most  pious  and  devoted  minister  from  America,  the 
Rev.  Edward  Stephens.  Still,  so  long  as  the  seamen 
who  resorted  to  Canton  on  "liberty  days,"  and  at 
other  periods,  had  no  place  provided  for  them  where 
they  might  get  refreshment,  but  were  left  a  prey  to  the 
avarice  of  the  Chinese,  who  supplied  them  with  the 
native  distilled  spirits,  called  "  Sam  shoo,"  which  ren- 
dered them  the  victims  of  extortion,  and  caused  them 
to  commit  all  manner  of  outrageous  acts.  Dr.  Morrison 
did  not  consider  that  all  which  might  be  done,  was 


462  PRIYATB   JOURNAL.  [1832. 

accomplished  in  their  behalf.  He  therefore  engaged  a 
respectable  native,  who  had  been  in  his  service,  to  open 
a  ^^  coffee-shop, *"  and  had  hand-bills  printed^  inviting 
the  sailors  to  partake  of  the  cheap  and  refreshing  beve- 
rage  there  provided  for  them ;  and  cautioning  them 
against  the  poisonous  effects  of  the  ardent  spirits,  which 
the  unprincipled  natives  sold  them  for  the  purpose  of 
robbing  them.  How  far  this  plan  has  since  succeeded 
the  writer  has  not  heard ;  but  if  followed  up  by  other 
means,  there  can  be  no  doubt  of  its  being  attended,  in 
many  cases  at  least,  with  beneficial  effects. 

After  the  arrival  of  the  American  Missionaries,  Dr. 
Morrison  resigned  the  English  service  on  Sundays  to 
them  in  Canton,  and  devoted  himself  to  the  Chinese. 
He  was  this  season  accompanied  thither  by  his  second 
son,  then  only  seven  years  old.  Several  subjects  of 
interest  are  noticed  in  his  daily  journal,  from  which  a 
few  paragraphs  are  here  given. 

"  Canton,  Oct.  7th,  1832. 

"  Lord's  day.  *  *  My  Chinese  congregation 
was  I  believe  larger  than  Bridgman's,  where  John  and 
Robert  went ;  we  had  twelve  persons.  May  the  Lord 
open  their  hearts  to  receive  Gospel  truth  in  the  love 
of  it.  Leang-Afa  has  baptized  seven  persons  in  all — 
he  prayed  to-day  most  earnestly  against  the  fear  of 
man — against  the  cowardice  of  christians.  I  sent  a 
specimen  of  our  lithographic  tract,  on  the  Being  of 

God,  to  M .     He  acknowledged  it  kindly,  and 

said  he  had  given  it  for  perusal  to  Lin-*chong,  a  well- 
known  clever  man  here,  who  is  a  follower  of  Confu- 

cius,  and  believes  that  death  is  annihilation.     M 

asked  if  I  had  any  suitable  book  for  him ;  and  I  was 
happy  to  send  him  Milne's  excellent  work  on  The 
Soul  of  Man.  #  #  * 


1832.]  BAPTI8M    OP   CHOO-eEEN-8ANG  463 

"  8th. — *  •  To  order  away  wet-nui-ses*  at  a 
moment's  notice,  is  very  barbarous.  But  in  the  unbe- 
lieving hearts  of  the  heathen  in  China,  there  is  Httle 
humanity.  It  is  only  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  our 
Saviour  that  makes  us  to  differ.  Let  us  learu  of  Jeaus 
to  forgive  our  enemies,  and  pray  for  them,  that  they 
may  be  converted  and  saved.  For  government  to 
prevent  their  own  people  from  getting  an  honest  live- 
lihood, is  tyrannical  and  foolish. 

"  18th. —  *  *  I  went  to-day  to  a  Chinese 
marriage.  Ming-qua,  whom  you  saw  at  Macao  last 
summer,  was  married  a  day  or  two  ago,  to  a  young 
person,  sixteen  years  of  age.  She  was  led  out,  with 
all  her  bridal  attire,  by  two  old  servant-women, 
holding  her  arms,  and  making  her  move  them  up  and 
down  before  her  face,  in  the  presence  of  half-a-dozen 
foreigners.  All  native  friends  and  kindred  require 
thus  to  see  the  Sin-neang,  'the  new  lady.'- — The  hus- 
band is  said  to  be  sixteen.  He  had  been  receiving 
congratulations,  drinking  tea,  and  knocking  head,  till 
he  was  quite  tired." 

■  Respecting  the  baptism  of  a  learned  native,  who 
had  been  the  mandarin  teacher  at  the  Anglo-Chinese 
College,  Dr.  Morrison  writes  : — 

"Dec.  15th,  10,  P.M.— •  "  ■  If  spared  till  to- 
morrow, I  mean  to  baptize  Choo-Seen-sang.  Lord, 
grant  that  he  may  be  washed  from  his  sins,  and  made 
a  new  creature  in  Christ  Jeans.      *         * 

"^16th.  •  *  I  have  juat  finished  the  Chinese 
service,  in  which  I  enjoyed  deep  interest,  devout  feel- 
ing, and    freedom  of  utterance.     The  subjects  were 

"  Chinese  nurses,  and  chair -bearers,  were  forbidden  to  serve  in 
foreign  familieB ;  those  in  their  service  were  ordered  away  at  a 
monie Ill's  notice. 


464  PR1TAT£  JOURNAL.  [1832* 

suggested  by  the  3rd  of  John :  the  love  of  God,  the 
renovating  change^  and  baptism.      The   8th   of  the 
Acts — Philip  and  his  convert— *  See,  here  is  water: 
what  doth  hinder  me  to  be  baptized  V     Philip  said — 
'  If  thou  believest  with  all  thine  heart,  thou  mayest/ 
And  he  said — ^  I  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son 
of  God.'     Here,  there  was  no  long  preparation — no 
subsequent  proof — Philip  was  taken  away — and  the 
Eunuch  went  on  his  journey  rejoicing.      Choo  has 
heretofore   resisted  his  own   conviction.     His  vicious 
habit  (opium  smoking)  he  has  broken  off  as  a  habit — ^he 
has  answered  in  the  affirmative,  that  he  believes  with 
all  his  heart,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God,  and 
all  that  that  implies ;  believing  what  he  teaches — do- 
ing what  he  commands,  and  hoping  for  what  he  has 
promised.      Choo    was    nearly   ship-wrecked     when 
coming  from  the  College,  and  vowed  to  be  the  Lord's, 
if  his  life  should  be  spared.     Under  these  circum- 
stances, what  was  I,  that  I  should  withstand  the  inti- 
mation of  Providence  ?    I  think  I  should  be  wrong  in 
refusing   baptism   to  such  a   person.     I  have  admo- 
nished him  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord,  to  seek,  not 
only  his  own  salvation,  but  also  that  of  his  family, 
his  friends,  and  his  countrymen." 

It  may  be  observed,  that  this  individual  had  been 
for  some  time  receiving  christian  instruction  at  the 
College,  and  had  given  evidence  of  deep  acquaintance 
with  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel. 

"  17th. —  #  #  J  jjj^yg  jjj^j  Q^  Taou  priest  with 
me  to  explain  his  own  books.  He  is  a  thorough-paced 
scoffer  at  the  mummery  of  Buddhism,  Taouism, 
and  Confucianism.  He  seems  quite  a  pagan  liberaly 
and  has  very  great  mimic  powers,  when  folding  hands, 
reciting  offices,  and  tinkling  bells,  are  spoken  of  (in 


1832.]  CHINESE  BEPoarroRY  commenced-  465 

their  books).  Oh  that  he  were  awakened  to  see 
his  own  personal  guilt,  and  flee  for  refuge  to  the 
Almighty  Saviour  of  sinners.         •         •         • 

"  Evening. — I  sent  a  Bible  to-day  to  the  Taou 
priest,  and  gave  him  a  copy  of  my  Domestic  In- 
structor, &c.  God  grant  that  they  maybe  made  be- 
neficial to  his  soul !" 

Referring  to  the  indignities  offered  by  the  Chinese 
government  to  our  English  men-of-war,  sent  with 
despatches  from  Bengal,  Dr.  IVIorrison  remarks : — 

"  •  "It  ia  astonishing  to  me,  how  the  bearer  of  de- 
spatches from  the  highest  authority  in  India,  can  pass 
over  in  the  careless  manner  which  is  done,  such  in- 
hospitality  and  rudeness.  There  is  an  utter  want  of 
public  spirit  and  feeling  for  national  honour,  as  it 
appears  to  me.  *  ♦  I  resolve  often  to  hold  my 
peace  concerning  the  question  in  dispute,  between  the 
English  and  Chinese;  but  the  onri- British,  and  low 
sentiments — as  I  tliink  them — which  I  sometimes 
hear,  provoke  me  to  speak  :  still  I  adhere  pretty  closely 
to  my  resolution.  His  M.'s  navy  neither  feel  nor 
care  about  British  subjects  in  China ;  and  these  ships 

1  of   war  are  not  respected,  nor  better  treated,  by  the 

I  Chinese  than  the  Lintin  smugglers. 

•     "  There  is  now  in  Canton  a  state  of  society, 
m  respect  of  Chinese,  totally  different  from  what  I 

,  found  it  in  1807.      Chinese  scholars,  Missionary  stu- 

idents,  English  presses,  and  Chinese  Scriptures,  with 
public  worship  of  God,  have  all  grown  up  since  that 
wriod.  I  have  served  my  generation,  and  must — the 
lOrd  knows  when — fall  asleep," 

"With  the  help  of  Dr.  Morrison,  Mr.  Bridgman 
iJBommenced  a  monthly  periodica!  magazine  in  English, 

VOL.  U.  2  11 


466  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1832. 

entitled  the  "  Chinese  Repository,''  which  still  con- 
tinues ;  consisting  of  original  Chinese  notices,  religious 
information,  and  passing  occurrences. 

The  following  letter  was  addressed  to  the  Treasurer 
of  the  Missionary  Society,  in  reply  to  a  request  that 
Dr.  Morrison  would  give  his  opinions,  as  to  the  best 
means  of  diffusing  christian  knowledge  throughout 
the  Chinese  Archipelago. 

«  My  Dear  Sir,  **  China,  Feb.  10, 1832. 

"  Your  interesting  letters,  of  the  Ist  and  1 1th  of  Au- 
gust, arrived  here  on  the  20th  of  January  last.  I  have 
since  that  period  turned  my  attention  to  the  leading 
subject  of  those  letters — the  means  to  be  employed  in 
these  regions  for  the  furtherance  of  the  Gospel.  The 
enclosed  sketch*  shows  what  I  think  desirable  :  how 
much  our  Society  may  be  able  to  undertake,  beyond 

*  Opinions  on  the  means  of  diffusing  christian  knowledge 
throughout  the  Chinese-language  nations  ;  and  the  Chinese  settle- 
ments, on  the  Asiatic  Islands  of  the  Eastern  Ocean ;  from  Java  to 
Kamschatka,  and  from  the  coast  of  China  to  the  Borneo  Islands, 
near  Japan.    Feh.  9th,  1832. 

I. — ^A  Central  Station,  supplied  with  books,  teachers,  Mudents, 
preachers,  authors,  and  presses.  Say  Malacca,  at  the  Anglo- 
Chinese  College.  The  languages  to  be  employed  are, — 
Chinese,  in  the  Mandarin,  F6kien,  and  Canton  dialects. 
Malayan,  Bugguese>  Siamese,  Cochin-chinese,  Japanese, 
Corean,  and  Loochuan. 

II. — ^LocAL  Stations  ;  as  at  Penang,  Singapore,  Java,  Bankok  in 
Siam,  Canton,  and  other  places,  where  a  residence  can  be  ob- 
tained. 

III. — Itinerant  Pbeachebs,  and  distributors  of  christian  books, 
at  all  these  stations,  to  the  number  and  extent  that  are  prac- 
ticable. 

IV. — Schools,  both  for  boys  and  girls,  wherever  practicable. 

y .—Local  Presses,  for  the  vernacular  dialects ;  from  which  re- 
ligious tracts  and  monthly  publications  should  be  issued. 


1832.] 


LFTTER    TO    W.    A,    UANKEY,     tSQ. 


the  prcBent  scale  of  its  operarione  for  China,  I  cannot 
form  an  opinion.  I  fear  you  will  consider  my  de- 
sires as  too  extensive  ;  so  much  bo,  as  to  be  quite  im- 
practicable :  i  dare  say,  they  are  so  at  present ;  but 

VI, — Christian  voyagers,  wilh  Preachers,  Bibles,  and  Tracts, 
to  go  among  the  islands  of  the  Eastern  Ocean,  and  along 
the  coasts  of  the  continental  nations,  every  where  scat- 
tering the  seed  of  the  word,  by  preaching,  conversation,  and 
books  ;  from  time  to  time  forming  new  stations;  and  annually 
visiting  churches  already  planted. 

The  agents  desirable  to  effect  these  operations,  under  the  power 
of  Jehovah  our  Aleim — Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit — are  u 
follow : — 

1st.  Opulent  christians,  locating  themselves  at  any  station  they 
please;  to  render  such  pecuniary  aid  as  they  deem  right  lo  those 
preachers,  schoolmasters,  schoolmi stresses,  poor  christian  scho- 
lars, or  native  converts,  who  may  join  the  Missions. 

2nd.  Missionaries  sent  from,  and  supported  by,  existing  Mission- 
ary Societies. 

3fd.  Teachers  of  schools,  sent  and  supported  by  voluntary  asso- 
ciations or  congregations. 

4th,  Pious  naval  officers,  or  other  seafaring  christian  men,  acting 
as  volunteers  lo  perform  one  or  more  voyages. 

Stli.  Owners  of  ships,  or  merchants,  making  a  single  trading 
voyage,  or  more,  as  they  see  fit,  subservient  to  Missionary  pursuits. 

6tb.  Voyaging  preachers,  to  be  joined  by  one  or  more  younger 
Missionaries,  to  assist  in  all  cases  of  sicluiess,  danger,  &c.;  also 
to  learn  the  languages  spoken ;  to  become  acquainted  with,  and 
fitted  for,  the  work  to  be  performed ;  or  to  remain  behind  where 
opportunities  occur,  and  originate  new  stations.  The  families  of 
married  voyagers  to  be  taken  care  of,  if  desired,  at  the  central  or 
some  local  station.     All  the  parties  in  these  voyages  to  be  volun- 

7th.  Native  vessels  may  sometimes  be  freighted  by  christian  as- 
sociations, or  induced,  by  pecuniary  considerations,  to  undertake 
Missionary  voyages,  carrying  on  tlieir  trading  concerns,  in  subor- 
dination thereto,  in  order  to  lessen  the  expense. 

8th.  Local  associations  of  christians,  in  any  part  of  the  world, 
to  afford  pecuniary  aid  to  such  voyages,  or  persons,  as  they  may 
approve  of. 

2  M  2 


468  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1832. 

I  hope  efforts  will  increase,  and  the  churched  of  Christ 
will  be  roused  to  greater  exertions. 

^^  There  is  one  part  of  the  subject  which  I  think 
ver}*^  important,  if  men  could  be  found  suited  for  the 
work :  viz.  Missionary  voyages  from  Java  to  Kam- 
schatka,  either  in  foreign  or  native  craft.  An  officer 
in  the  R.  N.  published  some  remarks  in  one  of  the 
late  Evangelical  Magazines  about  the  Loochoo  Is- 
lands. If  he  could  raise  friends  and  funds  to  make  a 
Missionary  voyage,  you  could  supply  Missionaries. 

"  I  send,  with  Gutzlaff,  Chinese  Bibles,  Prayer- 
Books,  and  Tracts,  also  a  hundred  copies  of  the  Scrip- 
ture Lessons,  which  he  will  leave,  I  hope,  in  the  care 
of  Providence,  on  the  shores  of  Corea  and  Japan,  as 
well  as  at  the  Loochoo  Islands."'        •         •         • 

TO  THE  SAME. 

"  Canton,  Nov.  9lh,  1832. 

*  *  "  Twenty-five  years — the  one-half  of  my  life 
— I  have  been  labouring  abroad  for  the  Missionary  So- 
ciety, and  other  benevolent  Institutions — the  Bible, 
Tract,  School,  and  Prayer-Book  Societies.  I  feel  old 
age  creeping  upon  me.  The  East  India  Company 
has  declined  to  assign  me  a  pension,  such  as  they  give 
to  surgeons  and  chaplaius ;  probably  thinking  that 
other  societies  aiford  me  pecuniary  aid  for  my  personal 
concerns.  It  would  not  be  unreasonable,  that  those  I 
have  served  so  long,  should  unite,  and  provide  me  a 
retiring  pension.*     You  will  oblige  me  by  taking  the 

These  opinions  are,  with  the  greatest  respect,  submitted  to  the 
conscientious  consideration  of  all  those  who  love  om:  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  in  sincerity,  to  whatever  church  or  nation  they  helong,  by 
their  fellow-servant,  Robebt  Mobbison, 

In  the  twenty-fifth  year  of  his  Missionary  labours  abroad. 

*It  may  be  necesssary  to  state  that  this  proposition  was  not 
complied  with. 


I 


I 


I 


1832.]  LETTER    TO    W.    A     HAKKEV,    ESQ,  469 

matter  into  Berious  coneideratiou,  and  giving  it  that 
countenance  which  you  think  the  subject  deserves."  "  • 

"  Mr.  Gutzlaff  was  about  six  months  absent  on  the 
N.E.  coast  of  China,  ivhere  he  distributed  many  tracts 
and  parts  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  He  was  on  the  coast 
of  Corea  also,  and  sent  a  copy  of  the  Bible  to  the  king 
of  that  country,  who  declined  receiving  it. 

'*  Seven  American  Missionaries  for  these  parts  of  the 
world,  are  expected  by  Mr.  Bridgman.  1  rejoice  in 
help  coming  from  any  quarter.  I  am  now  beginning 
to  see  the  work  prosper.  Blessed  be  God  for  his  mercy 
to  me.  By  the  press  we  are  able  to  scatter  know- 
ledge far  and  wide.  We  now  greatly  want  able  writers 
in  Chinese.  The  Confucian  atheists,  who  believe  that 
death  is  annihilation,  are  numerous.  Of  late  some 
merchants  here,  of  that  school,  have  been  put  in  pos- 
session of  a  Testament,  Milne  on  the  Soul,  and  other 
works  printed  by  us,  At  Macao,  the  Chinese  go- 
vernment has  issued  an  order,  disallowing  any  native 
to  serve  foreigners,  and  especially  wet-nursea  and 
women-eerrants.  They  are  aware  that  implicit  sub- 
mission is  ordered  from  England,  and  are  disposed  to 
cause  annoyance  in  every  way. 

"  My  son  John  is  going  to  Cochin-china  and  Siam, 
with  an  American  envoy,  Mr.  Edmund  Roberta,  who 
is  going  to  endeavour  to  make  commercial  treatiea 
there.  I  hope  he  will  get  information,  especially  lu 
Cochin-china,  that  will  be  useful  to  the  furtherance 
of  the  Gospel.  May  the  Lord  go  with  him  and  bless 
him.  His  father's  fond  hope  and  prayer  is,  that  he 
may  hereafter  be  qualified  to  translate  christian  books 
out  of  English  into  Chinese.  Indeed  a  Society  of 
Translators,  or  original  christian  writers,  is  the  deside- 
ratum for  evangelizing  the  Chinese-language  nations- 
may  the  Lord  soon  raise  up  a  goodly  number !"    *    • 


470  STATE   OF   THE   PROTKSTAST 

The  following  sketch  of  the  first  twenty-five  years 
of  the  Chinese  Mission,  drawn  up  by  Dr.  Morrison, 
will  not  be  inappropriate  here. 

TO  THE  CHURCHES   OP   CHRIST,   IN   EUROPE,   AMERICA. 
ELSEWHERE,    THE     FOLLOWING    STATEMENT   IS    KESPBt 
FULLY  PRESENTED. 

"  Twenty-five  years  have  this  day  elapsed,  since 
the  first  Protestant  Missionary  arrived  in  China,  alone, 
and  in  the  midst  of  perfect  strangers, — with  but  few 
friends,  and  with  many  foes.  Divine  Providence, 
however,  prepared  a  quiet  residence  for  him  ;  and,  by 
the  help  of  God,  he  has  continued  to  the  present 
time,  and  can  now  rejoice  in  what  God  has  wrought. 
The  Chinese  language  was  at  first  thought  an  almost 
insurmountable  difliculty.  That  difficulty  has  been 
overcome.  The  language  has  been  acquired,  and  va- 
rious facilities  provided  for  its  further  acquisition. 
Dictionaries,  grammars,  vocabularies,  and  translations 
have  been  penned  and  printed.  Chinese  scholars 
have  increased,  both  at  home  and  abroad,  both  for 
secular  and  religious  purposes.  It  is  not  likely  that 
Chinese  will  ever  again  be  abandoned.  The  holy 
Scriptures  in  China,  by  Morrison  and  Milne,  together 
with  Religious  Tracts,  Prayer-books,  &c.,  have  been 
published ;  and  now,  thanks  be  to  God,  Missionaries 
from  other  nations  have  come  to  aid  in  their  distribu- 
tion and  explanation.  The  London  Missionary  So- 
ciety's Chinese  press,  at  the  Anglo-Chinese  College 
Malacca,  and  Mr.  Medhurst's  at  Java,  have  sent  forth 
millions  of  pages,  containing  the  truths  of  the  ever- 
lasting Gospel;  and  that  Institution  has  given  a 
christian  education  to  scores  of  native  youths.  There 
are  also  native  Chinese,  who  preach  Christ's  Gospel, 
and  teach  from  house  to  house.     Such  is  a  general 


I 


1832.]  MISSION  m  china.  471 

outline  of  the  pri^eas  of  the  Mission.  We  boast 
not  of  great  doings ;  yet  are  devoutly  thankful  to 
God  that  the  work  has  not  ceased,  but,  ainidat  many 
deaths  and  disasters,  has  still  gathered  strength  from 
year  to  year. 

"  The  establishment  of  English  presses  in  China, 
both  for  the  diffusion  of  general  knowledge,  and  for 
religious  purposes,  arose  out  of  the  Protestant  Mission. 
The  Hon.  E.  I.  Company's  press,  to  print  Dr.  Morri- 
son's Dictionary,  was  the  first ;  and  now,  both  Eng- 
lish and  Americans  endeavour,  by  the  press,  to  draw 
attention  to  China,  and  give  information  concerning 
it  and  the  surrounding  nations.  The  Indo-Chinese 
Gleaner,  at  Malacca — the  Canton  newspapers — and 
the  Chinese  Repository — have  all  risen  up  since  our 
Mission  commenced.  Missionary  voyages  have  been 
performed,  and  the  Chinese  sought  out  at  various 
places,  under  European  control,  in  the  Archipelago,  as 
well  as  inSiam,  at  the  Loochoo  Islands,  at  Corea,  and 
along  the  coast  of  China  itself,  up  to  the  very  walla  of 
Peking.  Some  tracts,  written  by  Protestant  Mission- 
aries have  reached,  and  been  read  by,  the  emperor 
himself.  Still  this  is  but  the  day  of  small  things. 
The  harvest  is  indeed  great,  but  the  labourers  are  few. 
Preachers,  and  teachers,  and  writers,  and  printers, 
in  much  larger  numbers,  are  wanted,  to  spread  the 
knowledge  of  God  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ, 
among  the  Chinese-language  nations.  O  Lord, 
Bend  forth  labourers  whom  thou  wilt  own  and 
bless ;  and  let  thy  hand  work  with  them,  till  China 
shall  he  completely  turned  from  dumb  idols,  vain  su- 
perstitions, wicked  works,  and  false  hopes, — "  from 
Batan  to  God  I" 

"  The  persons  at  present  connected  with  the  Chinese 
Mission  are : — 


472  8TATB   OF  THB   PROTBirrAlfT  [183S. 

1.  Robert  Morrison,  D.D.,  of  the  London  Ifiarion- 

ary  Society,  in  China. 

2.  Walter  Henry  Medhurst,  of  ditto,  on  Java. 

3.  Samuel  Kidd,  of  ditto,  sick,  in  England. 

4.  Jacob  Tomlin,  of  ditto,  at  the  Anglo-Chinese 
College,  Malacca. 

5.  Samuel  Dyer,  of  ditto,  at  Penang. 

6.  Charles  Gutzlaff,  of  the  Netherlands  Missionary 
Society,  on  a  voyage. 

7.  Elijah  C.  Bridgman,  of  the  American  Board,  at 
Canton. 

8.  David  Abeel,  of  ditto,  in  Siam. 

9.  Leang-Afa,  native  teacher  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society,  in  China. 

10.  Kew-Agang,  assistant  to  ditto,  and  lithographic 
printer,  in  China. 

11.  Le-Asin,  assistant  to  Leang-Af%. 

"  Only  ten  persons  have  been  baptized,  of  whom 
the  three  above-named  are  part.  The  two  first  owed 
their  religious  impressions  to  the  late  Dr.  Milne,  at  the 
Anglo-Chinese  College,  where  they  were  printers. 
Another  was  a  student,  and  is  stUl  retained  in  the 
College. 

"  About  ten  years  after  the  Protestant  Mission  was 
established  in  China,  a  chaplain  for  the  British  Fac- 
tory was  sent  out  from  the  Episcopal  church  in  Eng- 
land ;  and,  about  twenty  years  from  the  commence- 
ment of  the  Mission,  a  seamen's  chaplain  was  sent 
out  from  the  American  Seamen's  Friend  Society. 
Dr.  Morrison  hoisted  the  first  Bethel  flag  on  the  Chi- 
nese waters  in  ]  822.  Mr.  Abeel  officiated  in  1830. 
The  present  occupant  of  this  cure  is  the  Rev.  Edwin 
Stevens,  from  New  York.  Mr.  Abeel  is  a  minister  of 
the  Dutch  Reformed  Church.  Messrs.  Bridgman  and 
Stevens  are   from  Congregational    Churches.     Their 


I 


1832.]  MISSION  IN  ch:na.  473 

patron  in  Chine,  a  merchant  of  great  devoteduess 
to  the  blessed  Saviour,  is  of  the  Presbyteriaii  Church, 
in  America. 

"  In  1831,  the  Scripture  Lessons  of  the  British 
and  Foreigu  School  Society  were  printed  in  China, 
and  are  found  a  very  acceptable  epitome  of  Sacred 
Writ.  The  Rev.  E.  C.  Bridgraan,  with  the  assistance 
of  his  native  scholars,  and  Mr.  John  II.  Morrison, 
made  the  extracts  from  Morrison  and  Milne's  Chinese 
version  of  the  Bible :  Leang-Afa,  with  his  first  as- 
sistant, named  above,  carried  them  through  the  press : 
and  christian  merchants  in  China  subscribed  the  ne- 
cessary funds. 

"  During  the  current  year,  Leaug-Ata  has  printed 
nine  tracts,  of  about  fifty  pages  each,  composed  by 
himself,  and  interspersed  with  passages  of  sacred  Scrip- 
ture. They  were  revised  by  Dr.  Morrison,  when  in 
manuscript ;  and  printed  at  the  expense  of  the  Loudon 
Religious  Tract  Society.  Kew-Agang  has  printed 
Scripture  sheet  tracts,  &c.,  with  the  lithographic  press, 
and  Mr.  Gntzlaff  has  taken  them  to  the  north  of 
China  for  distribution.  Mr.  Bridgman  has  instructed 
several  native  lads  in  the  English  language,  and  the 
first  principles  of  christian  truth.  He  has  also  per- 
formed Divine  service  in  English,  once  every  sabbath 
day,  at  Canton. 

*'  The  servants  of  our  Lord,  engaged  in  this  Mission, 
although  from  different  nations,  and  connected  with 
different  churches,  have  cherished  reciprocal  affection, 
and  united  in  the  most  cordial  co-operatiou.  By  this 
brief  exposition,  they  wisli  to  call  the  attention  of  the 
churches,  throughout  the  whole  of  Christendom,  to 
the  evangelization  of,  at  least,  four  hundred  mUliorts 
of  their  fellow-creatures,  and  fellow-sinners,  in  eastern 
comprehending  China  and  the  surrounding  na- 


474  8RCULAR    APFAIB3. 

tions.     Ye  christian  churches,  hear  your  Saviour's  list 
command, — '  Go  into  aU  the  world,  and  preach  the 


Goepel  to  every  creature.' 

"  Robert  Morrison. 
"Elijah  Coleman  BBiSGHAif, 
'*  Canton,  China,  Sept.  4th,  1832, 


ipaiH^ 
iplated       I 


The  termination  of  the  East  India  Com]^ 
charter  in  China,  was  an  event  this  year  contempli 
with  intense  interest  by  all  engaged  in  commercial 
pursuits,  as  well  a?  by  the  members  of  the  English 
Factory,  whose  interests  would  be  more  or  less  seri- 
ously affected  by  the  dissolution  of  the  Company's 
establishment.  But  to  no  one  connected  with  its 
service  in  China,  did  the  expected  change  present  a 
more  gloomy  aspect,  as  it  regarded  pecuniary  arrange- 
ments, than  to  the  subject  of  these  Memoirs.  " 
though  in  the  twenty-sixth  year  of  his  laborii 
public  services,  he  had  neither  the  prospect  of 
ing,  like  many  of  his  contemporaries,  to  enjoy  thi 
fruits  of  his  previous  acquisitions,  nor  the  certainty  of 
past  services  being  rewarded  by  a  liberal  pension,* 
nor  had  he  even  the  hope  of  receiving  a  "  compen- 
sation," which  some  looked  to  as  a  temporary  provi- 
sion for  their  families — ^he  must  either  submit  to  be- 

•  Though  unsolicited  by  Dr.  Morriaon,  the  Members  of  the  Select 
Committee,  impressed  with  a  sense  of  his  claims  on  the  Court  of 
Directors,  made  the  foilowiug  representation  in  his  favour  :— 

"Nov.  1831. 
Par.  31.  "We  had  the  honour  to  address  your  Honourable 
Court,  in  January  last,  in  behalf  of  Dr.  Morrison ;  and  we  trust  that 
a,  service  of  upwards  of  Twenty  years  will  be  considered  as  giving 
him  a  claim  to  some  retiring  pension,  in  the  event  of  impaired 
health  or  otherwise,  similar  to  the  pensions  allotted  to  the  Surgeons 
and  Chaplains  on  this  establisfament,"  To  this  paragraph  nodefi] 
answer  was  returned. 


1833.]  BECULAR   AFFAIRS.  475 

come  a  candidate  for  secular  employment  under  a  new 
system  of  government,  or  have  recourse  to  the  aid  of 
the  religious  public,  whom  he  had  hitherto  served  gra- 
tuitously, for  his  future  support,  in  the  hope  of  being 
enabled  to  devote  the  remainder  of  his  life  exclusively 
to  his  Missionary  duties.  The  latter  alternative,  being 
most  congenial  with  his  principles  and  feelings,  he 
preferred  adopting  ;  although  aware  that,  if  his  wishes 
were  acceded  to,  he  must,  in  accordance  with  prece- 
dent, conform  to  circumstances,  which  would  entirely 
restrain  him  from  carrying  forward  those  benevolent 
projects,  which  had  heretofore  received  his  liberal 
support : — the  mere  circumstance  of  personal  grati- 
fication, or  temporary  convenience,  was  with  him 
of  little  weight,  in  comparison  with  the  furtherance 
of  the  great  cause  to  which  he  had  consecrated  him- 
self and  all  he  possessed.  However  it  seemed  good 
to  Him,  who  alone  seeth  the  end  from  the  beginning, 
to  put  the  faith  of  his  servant  at  this  time  to  a  further 
and  severer  trial, — and  he  might  again  say,  "  Clouds 
gather,  as  we  approach  the  evening  of  life ;"  but  no 
cloud  was  permitted  to  rest  on  his  course,  which  like 
that  of  the  sun,  shone  brighter  and  brighter  to  the 
perfect  day.  To  the  uncertainty  attendant  on  his  pe- 
cuniary affairs,  waa  now  added  the  more  afflictive 
prospect  of  a  speedy  separation  from  his  beloved  fa- 
mily. This  event  had  already  been  deferred  more 
than  a  year,  in  the  hope  that  some  amendment  in 
the  health  of  the  writer  would  prevent  the  necessity 
of  taking  a  step,  which  was  viewed  with  feelings  only 
known  to  such  sa  have  experienced  the  pangs  of  sepa- 
ration under  similar  circumstances.  But  neither  the 
expense  attendant  on  the  removal  of  his  family  to 
England,  nor  apprehension  for  their  future  provision 
there,  (althougli  aware  that  his  income  from  the  Com- 


470  WORKS    PIUNTBD    BY    DR.    MORRISON  [1833. 

pBuy  vrouid  cease  ere  ttiey  reaclieil  its  shores,)  caused 
him  to  suspend  for  a  moment  hia  liberal  efforts  for  dif- 
fusing those  principles  which  can  not  only  suetain  the 
mind  when  every  external  support  fails,  but  even 
clieer  it  with  a  hope  full  of  immortality.  And  i>er- 
haps  at  no  period  did  he  employ  the  press  more  ef- 
ficiently for  tliis  purpose,  than  during  the  last  year  of 
his  sojourn  on  eartii. 

Though  contributing  largely  to  the  two  English 
periodicals  already  established  in  Canton — "  The  Re- 
gister," and  "The  Chinese  Repository,"  yet  desirous 
of  bringing  before  the  christian  community,  in  China, 
principles  of  a  more  decidedly  evangelical  character 
than  he  considered  either  of  these  publications  calcu- 
lated to  convey,  he  commenced  a  periodical  paper,  en- 
titled the  *'  Evangelist  and  Miscellanea  Sinica,"  which 
consisted  of  a  quarto  sheet,  and  was  to  be  published 
at  indefinite  periods.  Some  idea  of  its  cl«aracter  may 
be  ascertained,  by  giving  the  titles  of  the  subjects  it  em- 
braced.  The  first  number  consisted  of  a  "  Sacrificial 
Prayer,  offered  at  an  Ancestor's  Tomb,"  with  an  English 
translation ;  to  which  arc  added  some  remarks,  showing 
the  inconsistency  between  the  doctrines  and  the  obsei^ 
vances  of  the  Confucionists.  '2nd,  As  a  contrast  to 
the  gloomy  views  of  Paganism,  "  Tlie  Christian's 
Tomb,"  affording  a  sublime  view  of  the  doctrines  of 
the  christian  revelation,  in  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead,  aud  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  as  illustrated  at 
the  grave  of  Lazarus.  3rd,  Remarks  on  the  Moral 
Duties,  as  observed  by  Mankind  generally  towards 
each  other,  contrasted  ivith  the  requirements  of  the 
Gospel.  4th,  Martyrdom  of  Polycarp,  and  Armotations 
on  the  passage  in  Job,  "Skin  for  skin;  yea,  all 
that  a  man  hath  will  he  give  for  his  life."  5th, 
"  Chinese  Elhicks ;''  with  a  translation,  describing  t 


I83y.] 


477 


"  Golden  Medium,"  from  one  of  the  Four  Books.  6lli, 
Short  Biographical  Notices  of  Melauclhon,  Fenelon, 
Lalinier,  and  Watts.  The  aumber  concludes  with 
notices  of  Chinese  local  affairs. — Besides  the  abovf, 
Dr.  Morrison  had  a  sermon  printed  for  circulation, 
which  be  preached  a  short  time  previously  on  board 
sliip  at  Whampoa  ;  and  as  facilities  increased  for  dis- 
tributing christian  books  among  the  natives,  by  means 
of  European  ships  going  along  the  coast,  he  eagerly 
availed  himself  of  tliis  means  of  scattering  the  seed  of 
Divine  truth  in  every  form,  especially  by  Scripture 
Tracts,  with  Chinese  on  one  side  and  an  English 
translation  on  the  other.  These  were  printed  at  a 
lithographic  press,  which  he  took  with  him  from  Eng- 
land. He  also  had  Tracts  ornamented  with  pictures, 
which  could  be  hung  up  as  tablets,  according  to  the 
Chinese  custom.  To  unite  the  Chinese  characters 
with  the  English  letter-press.  Dr.  Morrison  went  to 
considerable  expense  in  having  characters  cut  for  that 
purpose,  as  well  as  for  printing  a  small  volume  contain- 
ing a  Liturgical  service  for  the  use  of  native  christians. 
Specimens  of  these  publications  were  sent  to  England, 
with  the  following  account  of  their  subjects,  drawn 
up  by  himself,  for  the  information  of  the  English 
reader. 


Tsa-wan-peen,  A  Miscellaneous  Paper  of  four  pages. 

"  No.  1.  Some  account  of  the  Population  of  the 
whole  world,  and  the  division  of  Christians,  Mahom- 
niedans,  and  Idolaters,  together  with  a  few  millions  of 
Jews.  The  difference  between  religion  founded  on 
Divine  revelation  and  natural  reason  is  )K>intcd  out. 


479 


MISCELLANEOUS   CIIIMESB   TRACTe. 


[IS 


The  Bible,  with  some  quotations  from  it,  couceming 
the  greattiese  of  Jehovah,  the  Creiitor  of  the  univeTBe. 
The  difference  between  the  traditions  of  popery  and 
Scriptural  Chriatitinity.  The  duties  of  parents  tu 
children,  and  of  children  to  parents. 

2.  "  Moses,  born  of  a  slave  in  Egypt,  specially 
employed  by  the  Almighty  to  lead  the  people  to 
Canaan.  The  Decalogue  given  at  Mount  Siuai,  as 
stated  in  Exodus.  Salvation  by  Jesus  :  the  difference 
between  the  Law  and  the  Gospel.  The  duty  of  the 
Believer :  love  to  God  and  love  to  man. 

"A  paragraph  on  teaching  the  deaf  and  dumb,  as 
invented  in  Spain,  and  practised  in  Frajice  and  Eng- 
land— suggested  by  a  letter  received  from  Dr.  Orpen 
of  Dublin,  desiring  that  it  may  be  introduced  into 
China. 

3,  '*  On  foreign  literature,  moveable  types,  perio- 
dicals, and  daily  press.  Scripture  quotations,  declar- 
ing God's  judgments  on  the  wicked,  and  mercies  on  the 
righteous,  taken  from  tlie  Old  and  New  Testaments. 

"  Scripture  extracts,  calling  to  repentance,  and  pro- 
mising salvation  through  Christ  Jesus,  who  is  appointed 
to  judge  the  world  in  righteousness. 

'*  Of  the  above,  twenty  thousand  of  each  have  been 
printed. 

"  Also  B  double  Tract  of  sixty  pages,  containing 
prayers  and  hymns;  the  Morning  Service ;  prayers  by 
Leang-Afa,  and  hymns  by  Dr.  Morrison  and  otliers, 
10,000  copies  piinted. 

"  Further — On  slips  of  paper,  the  fii-st  Psalm,  and 
other  Scripture  extracts,  were  printed  in  Chinese,  in 
prose  and  verse,  during  the  season.  Of  these  several 
thousands  were  printed  by  moveable  types ;  on  one 
side  Chinese  and  the  other  English,  designed  for 
shops  where  English  and  Chinese  sailors  meet." 


1833.]        SUPPRESSION    OP   DB.  M.'s    PUBLICATI0K8.  479 

As  Dr.  Morrison  on  tlie  present  occa«ion  had  not 
swerved  from  that  prudent  regard  to  circumstances,  by 
which  his  conduct  was  at  all  times  distinguished,  he 
waa  not  a  little  surprised  to  learn,  from  a  confidential 
communication,  that  his  recent  publications  had  at- 
tracted the  attention  of  the  Roman  Catholic  vicar- 
general  and  his  clergy,  who  had  taken  offence  at  his 
sermon — because  its  doctrines  were  opposed  to  the 
tenets  of  the  Roman  Catholic  faith  ;  and  at  the  Evan- 
gelist, (four  numbers  of  whicli  had  been  published,) 
the  tilie  of  which  they  considered  an  undue  assumption 
of  ecclesiastical  authority.  But  not  content  witli  ne- 
gative hostility,  they  brought  the  affair  before  the 
senate,  who  decreed  that  such  heretical  proceedings 
must  be  immediately  arrested  ;  and  they  accordingly 
wrote  to  the  President  of  the  Select  Committee,  re- 
questing him  to  use  his  authority  in  preventing  any 
further  use  of  the  press  in  Dr.  Morrison's  house.  This 
desire  being  readily  agreed  to,  the  following  letter  waa 
addressed,  by  order  of  the  Select  Committee,  to  Dr. 
Morrison  ;  who,  although  obbged  to  submit,  felt  the 
hardship  of  the  prohibition,  and  having  commented 
on  its  several  paragraphs,  recorded  a  protest  agaiust 
such  arbitrary  proceedings,  which  he  appended  to  the 
Committee's  letter. 

TO  THE  EEV.  OR.  MORRISON. 

"  Sir,  "  Macao,  22nd  June,  1833. 

"  I  am  directed  by  the  President,  and  Select  Com- 
mittee, to  transmit  to  you  the  enclosed  copy  of  a 
letter,  which  has  been  addressed  to  the  President  by 
the  governor  of  Macao,  from  the  contents  of  which 
you  will  perceive  he  has  been  informed,  by  the  vicar- 
general  of  this  diocese,  that  you  possess  a  printing- 


480  KOTES  OK   THE  COmCITTBB^S  LBTTBR*  [1833. 

press  at  your  house,  at  which  certain  works  are  pub- 
lished contrary  to  the  doctrines  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
churchy*  and  that  as  the  use  of  a  printing-press  is  pro- 
hibited in  the  Portuguese  territories^  by  the  royal  au- 
thority,  except  under  the  restriction  of  a  previous  cen- 
sorship,^  his  Excellency  requests  you  may  be  directed 
to  discontinue  the  employment  of  your  press  in  this 
city. 

^^  In  conformity  with  these  regulations  of  the 
Portuguese  government,  I  have  received  instructions 
from  the  President  and  Select  Committee  to  desire  § 
that  you  will  suspend  the  issue  of  any  further  publica- 
tions from  the  printing-press  in  your  house  at  Macao. 
"  I  have  the  honour  to  be,  Sir, 

"  Your  most  obedient  servant, 

"  H-  H-  Lindsay,  Sec.'' 

This  procedure,  involving  as  it  did  the  employment 
of  British  influence  to  restrain  the  natural  rights  of 

*  Certainly  the  doctrines  of  my  sermon  were  not  conformable  to 
those  of  the  Romish  Church — but  they  contained  no  attack  upon 
it ;  nor  did  the  Evangelist. 

f  It  has  been  fully  proved  that  Macao  belongs  to  China,  and  is 
no  part  of  the  territories  of  the  king  of  Portugal ;  the  claim 
therefore  is  usurpation. 

J  The  English  Company  has  had  for  nearly  twenty  years,  and 
still  has,  a  press  in  Macao,  at  which  whatever  they  please  to  print 
is  issued  in  Macao,  without  any  previous  censorship. 

§  In  what  capacity  do  the  President  and  Committee  desire  thist 
reo-arding  me  simply  as  a  British  subject,  or  as  in  the  Com- 
pany's employ  ?  Conformity  to  these  regulations  would  require 
a  censorship,  not  a  discontinuance.  Do  the  Committee  mean  to 
submit  their  press  to  a  censorship,  or  to  discontinue  it  ?     Neither. 

I  therefore  jE^ro/^^/  against  the  whole  proceeding,  as  an  act  of 
usurped  authority,  tyranny,  and  oppression^  on  the  part  of  both 
Portuguese  and  English,  at  the  bidding  of  a  Popish  priest. 

R.  Morrison. 

June  20th,  1833. 


I 


I 


1833.]  FREEDOM    OP   THE    PBE8S.  481 

its  own  subjects  in  the  communication  of  truth,  whilst 
it  lent  its  sanction  to  the  propagation  of  error,  elicited 
from  Dr.  Morrison  a  further  expression  of  his  opinions 
in  a  paper  for  the  Canton  Register.  As  it  will  afford 
additional  proof  of  the  imcorapromisiug  firmness  with 
■which  he  maintained  the  principles  of  civil  and  reli- 
gious liberty,  in  the  peculiar  position  in  which  he  was 
placed,  under  a  three-fold  despotism,  it  ishere  annexed. 
"THE  PRESS:—" 

"  AU  Frenchmen  have  the  Tight  to  publish  and  print 
their  oton  (pinions  ;  t/te  censorship  is  for  ever  abolished!* 

"  Since  the  gift  of  speech  is  that  which  distin- 
guishes man,  as  a  rational  being,  from  the  dumb  and 
irrational  brute ;  and  since  the  social  intercourse  of 
intelligent  creatures  furnishes  a  feast  of  reason,  far 
more  valued  by  wise  men  than  any  bodily  enjoy- 
ments, governments  have  no  more  right  to  abridge 
roan's  intellectual  intercourse,  than  they  have  to  de- 
prive him  of  bodily  comfort,  or  a  portion  of  his  natu- 
ral food.  On  this  principle,  none  but  the  most  dan- 
gerous criminals  are  deprived  of  pen,  ink,  and  paper. 
And  the  press  is  only  a  more  expeditious  writing 
machine.  It,  in  the  providence  of  God,  enables  minds, 
at  the  remotest  distance  of  lime  and  space,  to  inter- 
change their  thoughts ;  and  it  contributes  thereby  more 
to  the  enjoyment  and  improvement  of  rational  crea- 
tures than  any  bodily  comfort  whatever.  No  govern- 
ment, therefore,  which  acts  on  the  principles,  of  jusuce 
end  equity,  can  interdict  the  free  use  of  the  press. 
Those  who  find  no  pleasure  in  reading  may  refrain  ; 
but  because  they  happen  to  be  in  power,  they  have 
no  right  to  abridge  the  pleasures  of  others. 

"  The  Chinese  have  allowed  to  foreigners  of  different 

•  New  French  Charter. 


482  FREEDOM   OP  THE   PRBSB.  £1833. 

nations  from  Europe  and  America^  a  residence  on  their 
shores :  and  each  class  may  follow  their  own  usi^es 
in  dress,  and  eating  and  drinking^  in  dancing,  and 
other  amusements.  No  division  of  these  fore^ners 
has  a  right  to  control  the  habits  or  opinions  of  the 
rest.  Now  jou  might  as  well  deprive  an  American 
or  an  Englishman  of  his  necessary  food,  as  of  his 
newspaper.  If  the  Portuguese  have  not  this  taste  ;  if 
they  choose  to  defer  to  their  priests  or  vicars-general, 
whether  they  shall  read  or  not,  let  them  do  so.  But, 
on  the  other  hand,  they  have  no  right  to  interdict 
the  productions  of  books  or  newspapers  for  that 
numerous  class  frequenting  China  (and  Macao  is  an 
integral  part  of  the  Chinese  empire)  who  read  the 
English  language.  The  doing  so,  is  an  infraction  of 
the  natural  rights  of  man.  We  consider  the  words 
of  our  motto,  taken  from  the  French  charter,  as  ex- 
pressive of  the  principle,  which  should  be  the  charter 
of  all  mankind — the  law  of  nature,  or  of  God,  who 
gave  the  power  of  thought  and  speech,  of  writing  and 
printing,  for  the  happiness  of  his  creatures ;  and  diere- 
fore  no  human  law  can  make  it  void.  *  Whether  it  be 
right  in  the  sight  of  God,  to  hearken  unto  you  more 
than  unto  God,  judge  ye.'  See  St.  Peter's  defence  be- 
fore the  chief-priests  and  rulers  in  Jerusalem,  recorded 
in  Acts  iv.  19.  It  is  plain  that  the  law  of  God  must  be 
obeyed,  although  the  law  of  man,  in  any  church  or 
state,  be  against  it.  We  therefore  conclude  that  laws 
against  speaking,  and  writing,  and  printing,  may  be 
disobeyed  with  a  good  conscience. 

"  Tyrants  may  punish,  but  God  will  approve." 

Notwithstanding  the  degree  of  annoyance  occasioned 
to  Dr.  Morrison  by  the  temporary  suspension  of  this 
— his   favourite — mode  of  disseminating  truth,  still 


I 


1833.]  NARBATivE.  A8a 

he  did  not  cease  to  avail  himself  of  other  means,  whicli 
neither  the  British  nor  Portuguese  authorities  could 
interfere  with— such  as  the  extensive  distribution  of 
tlie  works  already  prepared,  which  could  now  be 
effected  by  the  native  christians,  three  of  whom, 
Leang-Afii,  Choo  Seen-sang,  and  Kew-a-gong,  with 
Le  Seen-sang  (the  old  man  who  is  represented  in  the  en- 
graving as  transcribing  a  christian  document),  had  been 
staying  with  Dr.  Morrison,  during  the  greater  part 
of  this  year,  daily  receiving  from  him  such  instruc- 
tion ae  would  tend  to  enlarge  and  confinn  their  views 
of  the  truths  of  divine  revelation,  and  qualify  them 
to  instruct  others  in  those  doctrines  by  which  they 
iiad  themselves  been  made  wise  unto  salvation.  He 
also  persevered,  with  great  zeal  and  increasing  interest, 
in  composing  his  Notes  on  Holy  Scripture  ;  often  ex- 
pressing the  pleasure  he  derived  from  the  researches 
he  was  obliged  to  make,  in  order  to  elucidate  the  true 
meaning  of  the  text.  He  continued,  as  usual,  his 
public  English  service  on  the  sabbath  mornings ;  and 
knowing  that  many  of  the  foreign  residents  and  vi- 
siters spent  the  evening  of  that  day,  in  what  are 
called  innocent  recreations,  he  made  several  attempts 
in  this,  as  well  as  in  past  seasons,  to  induce  them  to 
flpend  an  hour  in  a  more  rational  and  profitable 
manner,  by  giving  an  evening  lecture ;  there  being 
service  only  once  a  day  at  the  Episcopal  chapel. 
Strangers  to  Dr.  Morrison's  habits,  who  occasionally 
attended  these  devotional  exercises,  were  surprised  at 
the  mental  and  bodily  fatigue  he  seemed  capable 
of  enduring ;  especially  upon  finding  the  English 
Bervice  was  immediately  succeeded  by  one  for  the 
natives ;  this  was  intimated  by  the  sound  of  voices 
Mnging  the  praises  of  God — a  devotional  exercise  in 
i'Which  he  took  peculiar  delight,  and  which  he  never 
2i2 


484 


NAHBATIVB. 


[1833. 


uinitted,  although  he  oft«n  had  to  complaiu  of  not  being 
asBistctl  in  it  by  his  congregation.  He  always  read 
the  prayers  of  the  Church  of  England  in  the  morning, 
modifying  them  to  suit  the  peculiar  circumstances  of 
his  hearers.  In  the  intervals  between  public  wor- 
Bliip,  he  was  eitlier  occupied  in  reading,  or  in  hearing 
his  children  repeat  their  hymns,  &c.  This  indul- 
gence was  generally  solicited  by  themselves;  for,  aj- 
though  his  manner  on  the  Lords  day,  was  marked 
a  more  than  usual  degree  of  seriousness,  which  w< 
repress  any  approach  to  levity,  stilj  there  was  not  ii 
the  slightest  tincture  of  austerity. 

On  these  occasions,  hia  usual  resort  was  a  retii 
terrace  in  the  front  of  hia  residence,  beyond  which 
lay  the  Bay  of  Macao,  encircled  by  barren  hills — thi 
tenace  was  shaded  by  beautiful  flowering  shrul 
and  bordered  with  European  plants  and  flow) 
Here,  generally  accompanied  by  the  whole  of 
family,  the  little  ones  on  his  knees,  or,  according 
Asiatic  custom,  sitting  on  mats  spread  on  the  grass, 
with  their  attendants  of  various  nations,  Chinese, 
Portuguese,  and  Caifres,  and  a  favourite  Newfound- 
land dog  invariably  making  one  of  the  group — might 
be  seen  the  beloved  subject  of  this  narrative,  whoee 
presence  diffused  general  happiness  throughout  that 
favoured  circle.  Often,  while  viewing  with  benig- 
nant complacency  the  interesting  scene  thus  feebly 
depicted,  he  would  express  tlie  pleasure  it  afforded 
him,  and  his  grateful  sense  of  the  mercies  and  bless- 
ings he  enjoyed ;  yet,  reflecting  on  the  uncertain 
tenure  by  which  all  earthly  good  is  held,  he  would 
frequently  add,  "  but  I  rejoice  with  trembling."  Such 
simple  pleasures  as  those  by  which  he  was  surrounded, 
Dr.  Morrison  enjoyed  in  a  high  degree;  yet  his  taste 
for  them  was  never  gratified  at  the  expense  of 


-the 

I  to  n 


r 


J.] 


NARRATIVE. 


serious  duties  ;  therefore,  sacred  music,  conversation,  or 
the  contemplation  of  the  beauties  of  nature,  were  by 
him,  only  indulged  in  occasionally,  as  a  relaxation  from 
intense  study.  Often  at  the  close  of  a  day,  such  as  above 
described,  when  he  must  have  suffered  extreme  vFcari- 
ness  from  five  or  six  hours'  standing  and  speaking,  his 
general  reply  to  enquiries  if  he  did  not  feel  very  tired  ? 
was,  "  Yes,  love,  tired  in  my  work,  but  not  of  il — I  de- 
light in  the  work  !"  Although  at  these  seasons  the  ther- 
mometer usually  ranged  from  86°  to  92"  in  the  shade, 
it  is  remarkable  _that  Dr.  Morrison  never  experienced, 
on  the  following  day,  any  of  the  lassitude  or  languor 
which  many  complain  of,  after  long  public  speaking. 
However  for  some  time  past.  Dr.  Morrison  became 
sensible  of  a  diminution  of  strength,  accompanied  by 
distressing  restlessness  in  the  early  part  of  the  night, 
and  towards  morning  a  sensation  of  weight  at  the  top 
of  his  head,  which  obliged  him  to  rise  generally  at 
four  o'clock ;  but  as  he  retained  his  usual  appearance 
of  health,  and  continued  to  wiite  and  study  without 
seeming  to  suffer  much  inconvenience  during  the  day, 
these  symptoms  were  attributed  to  the  effect  of  inces- 
sant mental  labour,  without  sufficient  bodily  exercise 
to  counteract  it ;  and  it  was  not  till  the  summer  ad- 
vanced, and  the  heat  became  intense,  that  any  serious 
cause  for  alarm  was  manifested  :  but  then,  loss  of 
appetite,  witli  pain  in  his  right  side,  and  great  prostra- 
tion of  strength,  indicated  the  necessity,  which  before. 
Dr.  Morrison  would  not  admit,  for  obtaining  medical 
advice ;  and  Mr.  Colledge,  the  senior  surgeon  of  the  es- 
tablishment was  therefore  consulted.  This  gentleman's 
skill  and  experience  were  sufficient  to  warrant  the  ut- 
most confidence  in  the  opinion  he  formed  of  his  pa- 
tient's complaint,  which  he  treated  as  an  affection  of 
the  liver.     His  assurance  also,  that  Dr.  Morrison  suf- 


486  CORRESPOKDEIICB.  [18S3. 

fered  from  apparent j  not  real  loss  of  strength,  and  that 
there  was  no  reason  to  apprjehend  a  similar  attack  the 
following  summer,  entirely  appeased  the  fears  of  the 
writer,  so  that  the  preparations  for  the  voyi^ey  which 
had  been  discontinued,  were  recommenced  in  the  con- 
fident hope,  that,  when  the  excitement  occasioned  by 
the  departure  of  the  family  should  subside,  and  his 
attention  become  less  diverted  from  his  Missionary  du- 
ties, his  general  health  would  be  entirely  restored,  es- 
pecially as  a  favourable  change  in  it  had  already  been 
produced  by  the  commencement  of  the  cold  season : 
but  still  he  was  not  sufficiently  recovered  to  accom- 
pany the  Factory  to  Canton ;  and  he  purposed  remain- 
ing at  Macao  till  after  his  family  should  embark  for 
England,  as  his  eldest  son  was  capable  of  suppljriug 
his  place,  in  case  of  any  occurrence  requiring  a  cor- 
respondence with  the  local  government — such  an  oc- 
currence was  but  too  near  at  hand — an  affiray  having 
taken  place  on  board  one   of  the  opium  ships,  in 
which  a  Chinese  was  killed.   Dr.  Morrison  was  re- 
quested to  go  to  Canton  to  conduct  the  correspondence, 
although  it  was  within  a  month  of  his  family  leavii^ 
China.    Previously  to  his  departure,  he  addressed  the 
following  letter  to  the  kind  friend  to  whose  memory 
the  writer  would  pay  a  tribute  of  grateful  recollection, 
for  the  relief  afforded  to  the  mind  of  her  beloved  hus- 
band, by  the  assurance  contained  in  a  letter  recently 
received  from  him,  that  herself  and  family  should  find 
a  home  in  his  house  on  their  arrival  in  England,  which 
assurance  was  realized  in  its  fullest  extent. 

TO  THOMAS  FISHER,  ESQ. 

"  My  Dear  Friend,  "  Macao,  Oct.  10th,  1833. 

"  Your  *  old  saying,'  written  March  6th,  arrived  in 
China,  October  4th,  and  was  exemplified  here.     That 


f 


I 


1833.3  LETTEB  T()  T.    FISHBR,    ESQ,  487 

day  'rained'  or  'poured'  upon  us  your  welcome  tenth 
letter  of  the  seaaou,  with  a  store  of  Anti-slavery,  Tem- 
perance, and  Qiristian,  penny  lore.  The  pictures  of 
the  Penny  Magazines  delight  all  the  children,  and 
the  instructive  paragraphs  found  therein,  gratify  both 
old  and  young.  Many,  many  thanks  for  your  kind 
remembrance  of  us. 

"  Your  Memoir  concerning  education  in  India,  so 
highly  approved  of  by  the  House  of  Commons' 
Committee,  also  arrived  safely.  But  my  health  has 
been  bad  for  the  last  four  months,  and  I  have  not  been 
equal  to  much  reading  or  writing.  However  I  must 
stick  to  the  oar,  as  the  subsistence  of  my  family 
(under  God)  depends  on  my  labours  abroad.  Aud 
whilst  I  remain  in  China,  Mrs.  'Morrison  and  all  our 
children,  with  the  exception  of  John  Robert,  will  re- 
pair to  England  in  a  month  or  two  hence.  Under 
these  circumstances,  the  language  of  your's,  of  March 
6th, — '  rest  assured,  tliat  should  a  sea-voyage  and 
visit  to  England  be  desirable  in  her  case,  my  house  is 
her  home — was  particularly  acceptable.  This  hospi- 
tality, my  dear  friend,  we  mean  most  thankfully  to 
arail  ourselves  of,  Mrs.  Morrison  thinks  of  going 
with  Dudman  in  the  *  Inglis,'  but  it  is  not  yet  fixed. 
We  shall  endeavour  however  for  the  family  to  getaway 
in  all  December,  so  that  they  may  be  expected  (God 
willing)  in  England  about  the  middle  or  end  of  April. 
On  their  arrival  they  will  seek  for  reception  with  Miss 
Fisher  and  yourself. 

»  *  #  «  J  received  two  copies  of  the  Gentle- 
man's Magazine,  in  which  your  statistical  notices  of 
China  appeared,  and  in  which  you  do  full  honour  to 
myself  and  son.  The  '  Tourist'  also  contained  my 
Circular  to  the  Churches,  which  must  T  think  have 
It  by  you  to  that  publication.     All  these  cir- 


488  CORRBBFOIIDSIICB.  [1833. 

cumstances  evince  the  good-will  which  you  cherbh 
towards  us  and  our  Sayiour^s  cause. 

^^  The  great  change  about  to  take  place  will  per- 
sonally be  an  injury  to  me,  as  well  as  to  all  the  Com- 
pany's servants  here ;  it  will  also  occasion  at  first  the 
ruin  of  many  traders ;  but  still  I  am  disposed  to  think 
it  will  lead  to  the  welfare  of  China  eventually,  both 
in  civilization  and  religion.  And  the  furtherance  of 
the  Gospel  is  the  highest  good  of  man.  You  know, 
my  dear  friend,  that  >  Jehovah  reigneth.'  ISa  pro- 
mises and  purposes  must  be  fulfilled.  China,  I  be- 
lieve, must  be  converted  to  Gk)d.     *  • 

^^  The  press  is  now  looked  to  by  many  to  effect 
great  things  here.  *  *  There  is  no  press  allowed 
in  Macao ;  yet  the  Company's  goes  on,  and  nobody 
asks  any  questions.  It  is  still  engi^ed  on  Medhurst's 
Fokien  Dictionary :  whether  the  change  will  put  a 
stop  to  it  or  not,  remains  to  be  seen.  Every  one  is  on 
tip-toe  to  hear  the  final  decision — ships  or  no  ships  next 
year.     All  is  at  present  uncertainty  and  perplexity. 

^^  I  wish  all  success  to  the  Anti-slavery  cause,  and 
humbly  think  that  the  sooner  slavery  is  considered 
illegal,  the  better.  Private  loss  and  distress  there  vnU 
be  ;  but  the  public  good  will  be  immense.  Domestic 
slavery  in  China  is  a  source  of  inmieasurable  cruel- 
ties and  oppressions.  There  is  no  use  in  governments 
regulating  such  things.  As  well  regulate  theft  and 
murder.  They  must  be  totally  interdicted — not  per- 
mitted under  certain  wholesome  restrictions. 

"  It  is  now  night,  and  I  am  tired.  Mrs.  Morrison 
unites  with  me  in  kind  regard  to  yourself  and  sister. 
The  Lord  ever  bless  you  both,  for  his  name's  sake. 
Adieu '.  "  Your's  faithfully, 

^^  Robert  Morrisoh.'' 


fiess.] 


48U 


^H  "  Canton,  Nov.  7tfa. 

^P  "  Although  very  poorly  in  health,  and  my  family 
^^  about  to  leave,  I  have  been  called  away  by  the 
Chief  of  the  Factory,  to  translate  papers  concerning 
^^  an  affray  of  the  opium  ships  outside,  and  the 
^H  Chinese,  iu  which  a  sailor  and  a  native  were  killed. 
^M  The  government  demands  life  for  life  ;  which,  in  this 
]^  case,  cannot  be  obtained.  How  the  matter  will  end,  I 
know  not. 

"  We  have  taken  a  passage  in  the  Inglis — she  is  to 
sail  on  the  7th  December.  John  has  gone  down  to 
Macao,  to  assist  in  preparations  for  the  departure  of 
the  family  !     The  Lord  bless  you.     Farewell !" 

WhUe  at  Canton,  Dr.  Morrison  expressed  his  feel- 
ings respecting  the  painful  event  which  was  then  to 
near  at  hand,  with  his  habitual  resignation  to  the  will 
of  Divine  Providence ;  at  the  same  time,  with  a  deep 
sense  of  all  the  consequences  which  were  involved  in 
a  separation  from  his  family  under  existing  circum- 
stances ;  as  will  appear  from  the  following  extracts 
from  his  domestic  correspondence. 

"  Canton,  Nov.  2. 
•  *  "  Oh,  that  the  blessed  God  may  strengthen 
your  mind,  by  his  special  grace,  for  your  arduous  du- 
ties. The  beloved  children !  gracious  Saviour,  keep 
them  by  thy  power !  Their  dutiful  and  lovely  cha- 
racters give  me  great  comfort ;  and  I  humbly  trust 
that  the  removal  of  them  to  christian  society  will,  as 
a  means,  be  greatly  blessed  to  them.  The  most  griev- 
ous part  of  the  arrangement  is  the  indefinite  period 
of  separation.  Perhaps  you  will  find  kind  and  faith- 
ful friends  with  whom  you  would  consent  to  leave  the 
children,  and  return  to  me.     Perhaps  the  result  will 


I 


I 

I 


490 


[1« 


prove  better  then  our  fears  apprehend.  The  blessed 
God  will  never  leave  us :  my  letter  of  last  evening 
will  inform  you  of  the  re-commencement  of  the  ho- 
micidal discussion,  which  I  fear  will  detain  me  here — 
this  is  a  trial  which  I  deeply  feel. 

"  8tli. — Tlie  Inglis  has  got  orders  to  be  ready  to 
sail  on  the  10th  of  December.  The  Taou  priest  bus 
been  here  ngain,  and  applied  for  baptism.  He  seeaOj 
sincere ;  but  he  has  a  religious  theory  to  be  overthro' 
— a  specious  system — aud  his  knowledge  of  the  Gos] 
is  small.  He  has  ceased  from  worshipping  idols;  bot 
he  still  calculates  destinies  from  the  natal  hour,  &c. 
He  thinks  there  is  some  truth  in  that  theory. 

"  10th. — I  am  longing  for  later  news  than  Tuesday 
last. — Macao  and  Canton  are  a  long  way  apart — 
what  will  England  and  China  be?  I  almost  releaU. 
Feeling  would  say,  '  don't  go.'  But  our  resolutii 
has  been  formed — we  cannot  draw  back — who 
tell  what  ia  futare.  It  may  be  all  for  the  best.  '  Thy 
will  be  done,' — Oh,  God,  we  are  thine,  forsake  us  not. 
I  am  trying,  my  love,  to  realize  the  consolations  that 
are  in  Christ,  desiring  to  live  a  life  of  faith  in  God's 
precious  promises ;  and  the  more  I  do  so,  the  less  does 
the  defection  of  supposed  friends  affect  me."  •     • 

When  absent  from  his  family,  Dr.  Morrison  wrote 
frequently  to  each  of  his  children,  adapting  his  stylj 
to  their  respective  ages  and  characters.  The  foUoi 
ing  letter  was  to  a  little  boy  about  nine  years  of  a< 

'*  My  Dear  Son, 
"  I  received  your  specimen  of  printing,  and  the  pis 
ture  of  the  Albion  Press,  to-day,  with  much  pleasure: 
but  I  had  not  time  to  write  a  note  to  acknowledge 
it  then.  Perhaps,  my  dear  boy,  after  you  have  got 
an  education  in  England,  yon    may  come  sg^  1^ 


baa 

■m 

&c. 

lay 
rt — 

Thr  ~ 


rl833.]  LETTER  TO  THE  THACT  SOCIETY.  491 

China,  and  print  Sana's*  seimons  and  good  books, 
to  teach  the  Chinese  christian  knowledge,  which  they 
very  much  want.     M'e  must,  my  dear  R.,  commit  our 
way  to  the  Lord  ;   He  alone  can  briug  it  to  pass.    Give 
my  love  to  sisters  and  brothers.     I  long  to  see  you 
all  again.     I  have  been  very  busy  all  day.     I  have 
been  standing  and  writing  Chinese  and  English  ever 
^_    since  the  morning.     I  have  written  twelve  folio  pages 
^B   in  reviewing  a  book  called,   '  The  Christian  Advocate.' 
^B    Good  night,  dear  Boy. 
^B  '*  Ever  your  affectionate  Father, 

Some  extracts  from  Dr.  Morrison's  public  corres- 
pondence, which  furnish  infomialion  respecting  the 
etate  of  the  Mission,  and  important  hints  for  carrying 

K     forward  the    work    he    was  soon  to  leave    in    other 

H     hands,  will  not  be  unacceptable  here. 

H  TO  THE  SECRETARY  OF  THE  REUGIOUS  TRACT  SOCIETY. 

H  "  Dear  Sir,                        "  China,  Oct  lOth,  1833. 

H  "Your  letter  of  January  5tb,  1833,  reached  China 

H  on  the  14th  of  July.     Please  to  thank  the  Committee 

H  of  the  Religious  Tract  Society  for  the  interest  they  take 

H  in  the  printing  and  distribution  of  Scriptural  tracts  in 

H  the  Chinese  language.     Leang-Af a,  Agong,  and  my- 

H  self,  have  been  using  our  best  efforts^  during  the  past 

H  year  to  increase  their  number,  and  also  to  distribute 

H  them  ;  but  that  work  has  been  extensively  performed, 

H  on  the  eastern  coast  of  China,  by  Mr.  Gutzlaff.     He 

H^  was  supplied  with  Bibles  and  Tracts  from  the  Anglo- 

^H  Chinese  College.    I  have  the  testimony  of  several  com- 

^H  mercial  men,  as  well  as  his  own,  that  christian  books 

^H  or  tracts  are  received  there  with  the  utmost  avidity. 

^H     *  A  familiar  epithet  by  which  his  younger  children  addressed  him. 


492 


CORllBSPONbBNCB. 


[1833. 


"  Last  year  I  procured  from  England,  at  my  own 
expense,  a  good  press  for  the  use  of  my  son,  Mr.  Joliu 
R.  Morrison  ;  and  this  season,  I  have  gone  to  very 
considernhle  expense  in  cutting  Chinese  moveable 
types  for  the  printing  of  small  tracts.  Our  first  effort 
was  small  sheet  tracts,  containing  passages  of  Scrip- 
ture, which  an  officer  on  board  one  of  the  Merchant- 
men distributes  extensively  among  the  Chinese  who 
visit  the  ship.  He  tried  to  sell  them,  but  did  not 
find  the  natives  willing  to  part  with  their  money  for 
them,  although  they  accept  them  courteously  and 
gratefully.  Some  of  them  I  printed  with  English  on 
one  side  and  Chinese  on  the  other,  to  enable  Seamen 
and  Chinese  to  understand  the  subject  mutually,  iu 
the  hope  that  it  would  lead  to  couversatiou  on  religion. 

"  Our  next  effort  was  a  small  duodecimo  of  Prayers 
and  Hymns,  in  Chinese.  First,  the  Morning  Service, 
then  a  few  Prayers  by  Afa,  and  lastly,  a  few  Hymns. 
I  printed  also  in  English  a  sermon  I  preached  to  sea- 
men, on  board  the  American  tiup  Morrison,  at  Wbam- 
poa,  as  a  small  tract,  and  four  numbers  of  a  religious 
newspaper,  called  "The  Evangelist  and  Miscellanea  Si- 
nica."  It  consisted  chiefly  of  extracts.  The  Sermons 
and  the  Evangelist  were  brought  by  somebody  to 
notice  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Vicar-General  of  Maci 
an  old  man  who  cannot  read  Euglish.  He  wrol 
against  me  and  the  publications,  saying  they  were 
not  confonnable  to  the  doctrines  of  the  Romish  church. 
The  Governor  wrote  to  the  Company's  Committee  re- 
quiring the  suppression  of  these  publications,  with 
which  I  was  compelled  to  comply.  Although  the 
English  Company  has  had  a  press  here  for  twenty 
years  without  the  Portuguese  interfering,  they  now 
assail  the  Albion  Press  which  put  forth  these  pub- 
lications. The  continuance  of  the  press  in  Canton 
also  very  precarious.     There  is  no  place  nearer  tbi 


ons 


1833]  LETTER  TO  THE  TRACT  SOCIKTY.  493 

Malacca  and  Singapore  where  it  can  work  freely.  1 
mention  these  things  to  show  the  friends  of  the  chris- 
tian press,  in  these  parts  of  the  world,  the  importance 
of  supporting  the  presses  in  the  straita,  where  liberty 
ifl  enjoyed. 

"  1  have  cast  off  twenty  thousand  copies  of  a  mis- 
cellaneous sheet  tract,  containing  quotations  from 
Scripture,  remarks  thereon,  the  difference  between 
Popery  and  Protestantism,  notice  of  Deaf  and  Dumb 
Asylums,  &c.  I  have  long  abstained,  but  it  appears 
to  nie  now  necessary  to  show  the  Chinese  that  the  tra- 
ditions and  usages  of  the  Romish  church,  are  net  scrip- 
tural Christianity. 

"  Leang-Afa  proposes  a  tract,  in  imitation  of  the  late 
Dr.  Milne's  very  popular  dialogue  between  Chang 
and  Yuen,  a  mature  christian  and  an  enquirer. 

"  We  have  now  the  prospect  of  getting  cast  Chinese 
types  executed,  at  a  moderate  cost,  by  Chinese  them- 
selves. Mr.  Dyer  found  a  Chinese  at  Penaug  who 
could  cut  punclies ;  aud  my  son  John  has  found  some 
at  Canton,  who  can  cut  them  cheaper  than  at  Penang. 
We  require  an  experienced  type-founder.  I  am  very 
sanguine  that  the  great  desideratum  of  cheap  Chinese 
types,  will  ere  long  be  accomplished.  This  will  be 
like  the  invention  of  printing  in  Europe,  for  Chinese 
block  printing  is  ill-iitted  for  new  aud  daily  literature. 


*'  I  shall  suggest  to  Afii  to  write  you  a  letter.  He 
has  been  greatly  afflicted,  iu  common  with  thousands, 
by  a  most  destructive  inundation,  which  washed  away 
his  house,  and  by  which  thousands  of  Chinese  have 
been  drowned. 

"  Many  thanks  for  the  box  of  English  tracts  which 
I  received  safely. 


494  coRRBSPONORircB.  [18S3. 

<<  Yesterday,  Afa  gave  sixty  copies  of  Scripture 
Lessons,  and  eighty  sets  of  his  Tracts  to  the  young 
Sewtsae  (or  bachelors),  assembled  at  the  literary  ex- 
aminations. It  is  as  bold  a  measure  as  for  a  tract 
distributor  to  go  to  the  Gownsmen  at  Oxford  or  Cam- 
bridge. The  American  Bible  Society  has  sent  Bridg- 
man  three  thousand  dollars,  and  the  American  Tract 
Society  one  thousand  five  hundred,  to  aid  the  good 
cause." 

*  *  •  *  • 

Dr.  Morrison's  communications  to  the  Benevolent 
Societies  in  America,  at  all  times  met  with  the  most  gra- 
tifying attention.  And  the  present  act  of  liberality 
towards  the  Chinese  Mission,  was  accompanied  by  an 
extract  from  their  printed  Reports,  containing  also  a 
letter  from  himself,  which  had  afforded  the  Society 
much  encouragement.  As  it  is  probably  one  of  the 
latest  he  addressed  to  that  society,  it  is  here  appended, 
with  the  reply  from  the  Rev.  W.  A.  Hallock. 

FROM  DR.  MORRISON  TO  THE  REV.  W.  A.  HALLOCK. 

**  China,  February  5th,  1833. 

"Dear  Sir, 
"  My  friend  and  fellow-servant,  Mr.  Bridgman,  has 
shown  me  your  letter  concerning  tracts  in  China, 
wherein  you  ask  particularly  whether  it  be  a  fact  that 
those  speaking  different  dialects  read  one  language  ? 
It  is  the  fact.  The  same  Chinese  book  is  read  by  all 
the  various  inhabitants  of  the  numerous  provinces  of 
this  vast  empire,  although  in  some  instances  their 
speech  is  wholly  unintelligible  to  each  other.  And  as 
I  have  stated  elsewhere,  not  only  in  China,  but  inCorea, 
Japan,  Loochoo,  and  Cochin-china,  the  same  Chinese 
book  is  intelligible.     I  myself,  as  well  as  my  late  bro- 


I 


1833.]     LETTER  TO  THE  AMERICAN  TRACT  90CIETV.        495 

ther,  Dr.  Milne,  have  verified  tbia  fact  by  Bctual  ex- 
periment. 

'*  You  ask  next,  why  it  is  so,  that  men  speaking 
different  dialects  in  China  read  the  same  language  ? 
One  remark  will  enable  you  to  answer  this  question — 
How  is  it  that  all  the  nations  of  Europe  and  America, 
English,  French,  Spanish,  Italian,  &c.  &c.  whose  lan- 
guages are  BO  different,  can  read  the  Arabic  figures? 
The  figures  retain  the  same  form  and  the  same  value 
when  presented  to  the  eye,  however  differently  they 
may  be  pronounced. 

"  You  ask  agaia,  if  it  be  the  fact  that  Buddhism  has 
been  introduced  into  China  by  the  press?  The  fact  is 
this,  that  from  the  beginning  there  have  been  Mission- 
aries and  priests  of  Buddhism,  but  they  have  never 
preached — they  have  only  translated  and  written 
books.  The  ethics  of  Confucius  have  been  propagatej 
in  a  similar  way.  The  ackool  and  the  press  are  the 
only  means.  It  has  not  been  the  usage  to  have  public 
lectures  or  preachings. 

"  The  five  Chinese-language  nations  which  I  have 
enumerated  above,  contain  probably  much  more  than 
one-third  of  the  population  of  the  globe.  They  have 
long  known  the  use  of  letters,  have  possessed  a  litera- 
ture, and  have  used  the  press  for  at  least  seven  hun- 
dred years.  But  their  literature  is  either  idolatrous,  or 
atheistical,  or  profligate.  The  reader  of  grave  compo- 
sitious  can  learn  little  but  either  irreligion  or  gross  su- 
perstition ;  and  the  reader  of  light  literature  can  learn 
little  but  folly  or  licentiousness.  The  first  great  re- 
quisite for  tlie  regeneration  of  China,  humanly  speak- 
ing, is  a  large  increase  of  christian  Chinese  students,  in 
order  to  form  good  writers  to  create  an  instructive  and 


496  coRasspOHDBNCB.  [1833. 

religious  literature  for  China.  And  the  next  requisite 
is  cheap  moveahle  Chinese  types*  Concerning  these, 
Mr.  Bridgman  can  give  you  more  information.  How 
far  your  Society  will  he  ahle  to  co-operate  directly,  I 
cannot  say,  in  supplying  these  requisites ;  but  I  sin- 
cerely hope  that  the  members  of  it  will  devise  liberal 
things  concerning  China. 

^'  May  God  our  Saviour  direct  to  the  use  of  such 
means  as  he  will  own  and  bless ;  and  may  God  the 
Holy  Ghost  breathe  upon  this  valley  full  of  dry  bones, 
that  they  may  live ! 

'^  I  remain,  dear  Sir, 

«  Your's  faithfully, 

^^  Robert  Morrison." 

from  the  rev.  w.  a.  hallock  to  dr.  morrison. 

''  New  York,  June  29th,  1833. 

^^  Respected  and  vert  dear  Sir, 
"  I  cannot  better  express  to  you  the  value  i/re  attach 
to  your  kind  favour,  nor  our  intention  to  do  what  we 
can  for  the  Tract  cause  abroad,  than  by  placing  in 
your  hands  the  above  printed  document.  We  do  feel 
as  expressed  by  you  (in  a  letter  I  believe  to  the  British 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society)  that  it  is  a  great  privilege 
to  the  churches  in  the  United  States,  to  take  some  part 
in  the  conversion  of  the  world;  for  that  to  sit  down 
supinely,  while  British  benevolence  and  British  zeal 
accomplishes  all  the  work,  would  be  at  once  withhold- 
ing a  co-operation  which  the  Saviour  claims— <lepriv- 
ing  ourselves  of  the  spiritual  blessings  which  descend 
on  those  who  are  the  means  of  spiritually  watering 
others,  and  a  sad  dereliction  of  duty.     We  thank  you 


I 


T833.]  NARRATION.  497 

respected  and  dear  Sir,  for  every  word  of  encourage- 
ment that  falls  from  your  pen  ;  and  shall  highly  value 
your  information  and  counsel  in  all  future  time.  Pray- 
ing that  God  will  prolong  your  useful  life,  and  give 
you  yet  to  see  the  desire  of  your  heart  in  the  glorious 
progress  of  Christianity  among  the  Chineae-language 
nations,     "  My  dear  Sir, 

'*  I  am,  with  great  respect, 

"  Your  brother  and  fellow -labourer, 

"  Wm.  a.  Hallock." 

Dr.  Morrison  was  detained  at  Canton  till  within  a 
fortnight  of  the  time  of  bis  family's  leaving  China ; 
then,  resolving  to  remain  no  longer  absent  from  them, 
the  Committee  accepted  the  services  of  his  son  in  his 
stead  ;  and  he  once  more  returned  to  that  home,  where 
his  arrival  was  always  hailed  with  the  liveliest  demon- 
strations of  delight — even  by  Ceesar,  who,  not  satisBed 
with  "  baying  bis  deep-moutbed  welcome  "  at  the  gate, 
would  endeavour  to  share  with  the  children  in  the 
caresses  of  bis  beloved  master.  The  day  after  these 
periodical  returns  from  Canton  was  at  all  times  marked 
by  unusual  hilarity  and  excitement.  Books  and 
"  traps  "  were  to  be  unpacked  and  replaced — presents 
distributed — Kung-tsae  (toys)  examined  and  arranged ; 
while  the  dispenser  of  so  much  pleasure,  largely  par- 
ticipating iu  the  gratificatiou  he  communicated,  might 
be  seen  with  his  youngest  child  in  bis  arms,  a  second 
holding  bis  band,  and  the  rest  following  him  about 
the  house,  as  he  gave  the  necessary  orders  for  the  dis- 
posal of  the  multifarious  packages,  &c. 

But  these  happy  scenes  had  now,  alas  I  drawn  to  a 
close.  Arrangements  were  made  for  the  family  to 
embark  at  Lintin,  a  safe  anchorage,  eighteen  miles 
from  Macao;  it  not  being  deemed  prudent  for  large 

VOL.  II.  2  K 


498  DEPARTURE   OF   HIS   FAMILY.  [1833. 

ships  to  approach  near  the  land  at  that  season  of  the 
year.  For  the  accommodation  of  the  family  while 
there,  William  Jardine,  Esq.,  of  Canton,  well  known 
for  his  munificent  liberality  as  a  merchant,  offered  Dr. 
Morrison  the  use  of  one  of  his  ships,  the  Hercules, 
stationed  at  Lintin,  where  every  attention  and  assist- 
ance that  could  contribute  to  their  convenience  and 
comfort  on  such  an  occasion,  was  most  kindly  afforded 
them.  And  not  only  towards  the  owner,  but  also  to 
the  commander,  Mr.  Parry,  and  the  junior  officers  of 
that  ship,  must  the  writer  ever  cherish  a  grateful  re- 
membrance, for  the  many  proofs  she  and  her  family 
received  of  their  friendship  and  sympathy  at  that  me- 
morable period. 

The  despatch  of  the  Inglis  from  Whampoa  was  an- 
nounced to  take  place  on  the  10th  of  Deceniber,  and 
in  order  that  the  ship  might  not  be  detained  at  Lintin, 
it  was  arranged  for  the  family  to  be  there  before  her. 
Accordingly,  the  10th  of  December,  1833 — ^the  same 
day  on  which  His  Majesty,  William  the  Fourth,  signed 
Lord  Napier's  commission,  at  Brighton — Dr.  Morrison, 
accompanied  by  his  family,  quitted  for  ever  a  residence 
endeared  to  them  by  many  interesting  associations. 

The  party  embarked  in  a  Portuguese  passage-boat, 
amid  torrents  of  rain,  with  a  contrary  wind  from  the 
N.E.,  which  continued  the  whole  way  to  Lintin,  where 
they  arrived  at  nine  o'clock  at  night,  cold,  sick,  and 
dejected.  The  violent  motion  of  the  boat  had  ren- 
dered the  native  servants  entirely  helpless  at  an  early 
period  of  the  day ;  and  at  length.  Dr.  Morrison  was  the 
only  one,  out  of  fourteen  persons,  who  was  capable  of 
aifording  any  assistance  to  the  infant  when  they 
reached  the  Hercules  ;  where,  as  already  stated,  they 
were  received  with  the  most  considerate  attention. 
But  time  flew  rapidly,  and  the  hour  of  trial  arrived. 


r 


I 


I 


1833.]  NARKATioN.  4yy 

The  Inglis  was  in  sight !  The  weather  was  tempestuous, 
and  it  was  probable  that  the  captain  would  object  to 
anchor,  the  wind  being  fair  for  proceeding  on  his 
course ;  and  the  passage  from  one  sliip  to  another, 
being  attended  with  danger,  especially  in  the  dusk  of 
tlie  evening,  the  writer  obtained  a  promise  from  him 
whom  she  was  to  meet  no  more  on  earth,  that  he 
wouhl  not  accompany  her  to  the  ship,  which  lay  a  con- 
siderable way  off.  Captain  Dudman  and  some  of  his 
officers  came  to  conduct  his  passengers  to  the  Inglis  ; 
they  were  also  attended  tlnther  by  other  kind  and 
sympathizing  friends;  and  as  it  was  late  when  they 
got  on  board,  the  captain  determined  to  remain  at  an- 
chor till  morning-  Mr.  John  Morrison  and  a  valued 
friend,  with  one  of  the  native  christians,  spent  the 
night  on  board  the  Inglis,  and  put  every  thing  iu  com- 
fortable order  for  the  family.  The  next  morning, 
about  four  o'clock,  December  the  14th,  the  Inglis  got 
under  weigh,  and  after  a  most  favourable  voyage  arrived 
iu  England,  the  6th  of  April,  1834. 

Previously  to  leaving  Macao,  it  was  arranged  that 
Dr.  Morrison  should  return  thither,  after  the  departure 
of  his  family;  but  he  immediately  relinquished  this 
purpose,  and  even  ultimately  concluded  to  give  up  his 
house  there  entirely;  for,  as  no  intelligence  had  been 
received  up  to  that  period,  respecting  the  measures 
adopted  by  the  king's  government  on  the  dissolution 
of  the  Company's  charter,  he  did  not  consider  it  pru- 
dent to  enter  another  year  on  the  possession  of  an 
expensive  house,  while  uncertain  as  to  his  future 
prospects.  It  being  the  usage  in  Macao  to  pay  rent 
in  advance,  it  was  necessary  to  have  the  furniture 
removed,  and  the  house  given  up,  before  the  new-year 
commenced  ;  Dr.  Morrison  therefore  commissioned  his 
son  to  remain  in  Macao,  and  carry   ids  intention  itno 


500  PRIVATE  CORRBSPOlfDENCB.  [1833. 

effect.  This  explanation  will  enable  the  reader  to  un* 
derstand  occasional  allusions  which  he  makes  to  the 
subject,  in  his  private  correspondence,  from  which 
some  brief  extracts  will  be  given,  as  affording  an  in- 
teresting record  of  his  feelings  and  opinions,  on  subjects 
of  a  public  as  well  as  private  nature,  connected  with 
the  peculiar  and  trying  circumstances  in  which  he  was 
placed,  during  the  few  months  which  preceded  hia  re- 
moval to  that  land  where  "sorrow  is  unknown.**  Al- 
though the  writer  had  not  the  mournful  privilege  of 
witnessing  the  closing  scene  of  his  valuable  life,  she 
is  in  possession  of  the  daily  expression  (with  very  few 
exceptions)  of  his  feelings  and  sentiments,  until  the 
29th  of  July — only  three  days  before  that  on  which  he 
was  called  to  rest  from  his  labours,  and  to  join  the 
spirits  of  the  just  made  perfect.  This  journal  con- 
tinues from  the  time  of  the  writer*s  departure  from 
China,  till  the  25th  of  July. 

*^  On  board  the  Hercules,  Lintiii, 
December,  13th,  1833. 

"  No.  1. — When  I  consented  to  part  with  you,  I 
supposed  the  ship  would  get  under  weigh  immediately. 
It  has  not  been  so,  and  if  I  could  have  foreseen  it,  I 
would  have  accompanied  you  and  our  beloved  children 
to  the  ship.  Captain  Parry  and  Agong  say  the 
cabins  are  very  comfortable,  which  I  dare  say  they 
are ;  but  necessary  as  cabins  are,  our  hearts  dwell  on 
something  else.         *  * 

"  No.  2. — I  rejoice  that  your  circumstances  are 
comfortable,  as  far  as  is  practicable.  Oh  that  the 
Lord's  blessing  may  accompany  you  and  the  beloved 
children,  one  and  all.  It  is  now  late — God  bless 
you !"  *  * 

The  above  two  letters  were  received  before  the  ship 
sailed. 


I 


.]  JOURNAL.  '"JOl 

"  No.  3. — Sunday  15th.  Yesterday  morning,  at 
daylight,  I  watched  the  Iiiglis  conveying  you  out  of 
sight,  with  many  tears,  and  much  prayer  to  God  for 
you,  my  beloved  wife,  and  our  dear,  dear  children. 
John  went  to  Macao  to  get  me  some  clothes  before  I 
start  for  Canton.  I  am  shut  up  in  the  cabin  where 
you  all  slept  the  last  few  days.  I  have  a  Bible,  how- 
ever, and  'History  of  the  SufFerings'  of  the  Scotch 
Covenanters,  in  which  I  find  great  consolation.  I 
hope  the  "sweet  presence"  of  the  blessed  God  is  with 
you  this  day.  The  boat  has  returned  from  Macao, 
but  no  clothes  nor  letter! 

"  John  has  communicated  your  last  message.  By 
the  pilot  you  say  '  Every  cue  seems  kind  on  board — 
thank  God.'  I  humbly  and  heartily  bless  the  Lord, 
that  he  has  mingled  much  mercy  with  this  trying 
occasion,  especially  in  raising  up  kind  friends. 

"  I  purpose  to  give  myself  wholly  to  Chinese ;  and 
especially,  as  I  before  resolved,  to  the  Bible.  I  should 
like  to  print  an  edition  at  our  own  press.  May  the 
Lord  prosper  the  work  of  my  hands ! 

"  Tuesday,  Dec.  17th,  11  a.m. — I  am  still  on  board 
the  Hercules,  whither  we  came  eight  days  ago.  I 
have  not  yet  put  my  clothes  off.  I  am  looking  wish- 
fully for  John. 

"  Canton,  Thursday  morning,  19th. — On  Tuesday 
morning  the  17th,  John  and  I,  with  the  Prussian 
doctor,  started  from  the  Hercules  in  the  Hawk,  and 
beat  about  all  that  night  and  next  day  without  getting 
to  the  Bogue.  The  discomfort  was  very  great.  This 
morning  about  six  o'clock  we  arrived,  and  I  am  again 
seated  to  write  to  you  from  the  old  table,  in  tolerable 
health — ^blessed  be  God!  You  and  the  beloved  child- 
ren  are,  I  hope,  now  safely  s  iling  in  a  mild  region. 
This  morning  in  Canton  is  cold  and  rainy. 


502  JOURNAL.  [1833. 

"  21st. — By  the  mercy  of  God  we  are  still  pre- 
servedy  and  have  just  risen  from  our  knees,  and  closed 
our  prayer  to  the  Almighty  and  ever-present  God  for 
you. 

"  My  heart  is  ever  with  you ;  I  mourn  the  necessity 
of  our  separation.  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  be  with  you  all.     Farewell! 

"  No  news  from  England  yet,  and  we  are  unable  to 
decide  anything  concerning  the  house  at  Macao,  or 
the  press.     The  good  Lord  preserve  us  all ! 

"  27th. — It  is  reported  that  Mr.  y  formerly  in 

the  Straits,  as  Resident  of  Singapore,  is  likely  to  come 
here  as  British  Consul.  You  know  I  do  not  trust  in 
man ;  nor  do  I  much  fear  man ;  but  if  this  report  be 
realized,  the  change,  in  reference  to  religion  in  China, 
will  be  for  the  worse. 

"  28th. — I  have  had  a  letter  from  John,  saying  that 
if  I  had  gone  to  Macao,  he  thought  I  could  not  have 
adhered  to  my  purpose  to  relinquish  the  house.  And, 
indeed,  if  I  had  been  present,  and  compelled  to  move 
every  thing  in  five  or  six  days,  I  should  have  felt  a 
little  overpowered,  but  still,  probably,  firm. 

"  29th. — We  have  j  ust  finished  our  morning  wor- 
ship, at  which  there  were  eight  persons,  exclusive  of 
myself.  The  Taou-priest  was  among  the  number.  I 
used  the  Liturgy  and  a  little  book  of  hymns.  He 
joined  in  the  responses  and  in  singing.  Oh  may  the 
Holy  Spirit  illuminate  his  mind.  Afa  has  brought 
four  copies  of  a  tract  of  sixty-four  pages,  which  Gutz- 
lafF  wrote  and  employed  him  to  print.  He  has  cast  off 
2000  copies.  It  is  matter  of  joy  that  God  has  raised 
up  active  labourers  in  this  mission.  I  do  not  feel  my- 
self now  of  much  importance  here  to  the  cause.  It 
will  go  on  without  me.  AfU  wishes  me  to  continue 
my  notes  and  references  to  the  New  Testament,  for 


I 


1834.]  JOURNAL.  503 

the  Bake  of  native  teachere.  It  mil,  however,  take  a 
long  time  to  perfect  it.  He  says  I  should  by  it, 
though  dead,  like  Milne,  yet  speak. 

"Jan.  llth,  1834,  Cantou. — The  Lowther  goes  to- 
day. I  am  engaged  daily  with  notes  in  Chinese,  on 
the  New  Testament.  I  know  you  wish  me  to  go  on 
with  this  attempt.  I  am  hoping  for  a  more  settled 
state  of  mind,  after  the  news  from  England  arrives, 
and  the  anxiety  of  the  removal  is  over. 

"  12lh.  Sunday  morning. — The  dull  rainy  weather 
is  clearing  up  a  Httle,  and  I  hope  John  will  arrive  in 
the  course  of  the  day.  I  am  going  to  read  2  Kings, 
xviii.,  to  my  Chinese  congregation,  as  the  lesson  in 
the  Old  Testament.  It  is  very  full  against  idolatry. 
One  would  think  that  a3  Israel  and  Judah  were  hoth 
given  into  the  hands  of  their  enemies,  because  of  their 
idolatry,  something  similar  will  happen  to  China, 
which  is  full  of  dumb  idols,  on  the  one  hand  among 
the  religious,  so  to  speak,  and  of  the  worship  of  the 
host  of  Heaven  by  the  irreligious  literati  ;  for  will  not 
like  sins  produce  like  punishments'? 

"  Sunday  morning,  Jan.  19th. — Exod.  xxxiii.  20: 
'  Behold,  I  send  an  angel  before  thee  to  keep  thee  in 
the  way,  and  to  bring  thee  into  the  place  which  I  have 
prepared.'  May  the  promise  of  the  cliildren  of  Israel 
be  realized  in  your  experience.  It  is  added — '  Beware 
of  him,  and  obey  his  voice,  provoke  him  not.' — '  And 
he  will  be  an  enemy  unto  thine  enemies,  and  an  ad- 
versary unto  thine  adversaries.'  'Tlie  Angel  of  His 
presence,'  Isa,  Ixiii.  9,  is  thought  to  denote  our  I^rd 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ ;  who  in  all  his  people's 
afflictions  is  afflicted — who  in  his  love  and  his  pity 
redeemed  us. 

"  20th. — After  inquiry,  it  appears  to  be  true  that 
the  Canton  Government  has  given  uioncy  to  a  drunken 


504  jouBHAL.  [1834. 

Mahommedan  Lascar  in  Macao,  to  confess  himself  to 
be  the  man  whose  musket  shot  the  CSiinese  at  Ke-ow^ 
during  the  row.  The  man  is  now  in  the  ci^,  but  the 
Merchants  and  Linguists  make  a  great  secret  of  it 
Choo  has  been  out,  and  he  does  not  think  the  man's 
life  very  safe.  The  Govemment  want  to  appease  the 
populace,  who  demand  life  for  life.  However^  the  in- 
tention is  to  make  it  accidental  homicide,  in  which 
case  the  Lascar  will  be  banished  from  China.  A  happj 
sentence,  I  dare  say,  in  the  estimation  of  many. 
How  contemptible  will  this  farce  make  China  appear 
in  the  eyes  of  the  world ! 

'^  Our  friends  in  England  seem  to  have  given  up  the 
Chinese  mission — in  China.  When  revolving  in  my 
mind  which  course  to  pursue,  I  am  hindered  by  the 
recollection  that  of  late  no  measures  seem  even  to 
have  been  thought  of  how  the  mission  in  China^  that 
is,  the  English  mission,  is  to  be  continued,  in  the  event 
of  my  removal  by  any  cause.  I  do  feel  a  little  deso- 
late ;  but  I  hope  the  Lord  will  not  forsake  me.  He  is 
all-sufficient.  Oh  what  a  treasury  is  the  Bible.  I  feel 
it  now  in  comparing  spiritual  things  with  sjnritual,  in 
making  out  my  Chinese  references  for  notes.  To  turn 
over  the  pages  of  the  Bible,  and  read  Ood's  dealings 
with  his  people,  is  quite  refreshing  to  the  soul.'* 

Subjects  of  a  general  nature  were  noticed  in  letters 
addressed  at  this  period  to  other  correspondents ;  but 
the  following  paragraphs  bear  more  especially  on  the 
immediate  circumstances  which  then  engaged  at- 
tention. 


1834.] 


LffTTEB   TO   SIR   O.    8TAUNTOK. 


TO  SIR  GBORQK  T.  STAUNTON,  BART. 

"My  Dbah  Sib.  "  Canton,  January  31,  1834. 

"The  arrival  of  the  Elizabeth  brought  me,  two  days 
ago,  the  corrected  report  of  your  speeches  in  Parlia- 
ment, and  made  me  acquainted  witli  your  having  so 
kindly  and  liberally  noticed  to  the  Comniittee  the 
Anglo-Chinese  College.  I  do  not  anticipate  any  im- 
mediate help  from  that  quarter,  but  your  constant 
friendship,  and  consistent  adherence  to  that  institution, 
demand  my  gratitude.  Canton  is  greatly  ^itated  by 
the  new  system.  Hopes  and  feara  alternate.  To 
those  of  us  connected  with  the  Company,  little  short 
of  a  death-blow.  I  pretend  not  to  foretell  the  conse- 
quences. They  ^pear  to  me  to  be  great,  and  I  pray 
that  they  may  be  beneficial — not  only  to  England,  but 
to  Cliina ;  for  I  am  not  that  patriot  who  would  wish 
to  aggrandize  my  own  country  by  the  injury  or  ruin 
of  another.  I  do  not  think  that  Christianity  admits 
of  such  patriotism.  But  how  few  consider  the  welfare 
of  China  in  all  their  speculations  about  free  trade,  &c. 
The  state  of  China  is  not  at  present  flourishing.  The 
Exchequer  is  being  annually  drained — the  outlay  ex- 
ceeding the  income  by  millions  of  taels ;  and  during  the 
last  year  the  seasons  have  been  unfavorable  all  over  the 
empire.  Scarcity  and  famine,  with  their  attendants 
rapine  and  murder,  every  where  stalk  abroad.  It  is 
lamentable  to  hear  the  accounts  of  some.  During  the 
last  month  the  weather  has  been  so  wet  and  cold,  that 
hundreds  of  the  poor  died  during  the  night  in  the 
streets.  My  son  John  has  removed  the  Albion  press 
up  to  Canton,  where  I  hope  it  will  soon  send  forth  a 
calendar  with  a  companion.  I  hope  Mrs.  Morrison 
and  family  are  near  St.  Helena.  I  have  taken  the  li- 
berty of  introducing  Mtyor  Benson,  late  secretary  to 


506  CORRESPONDENCE.  [1834. 

Lord  William,  to  you,  should  he  live  to  arrive  in 
England.  Farewell !  May  every  hlessing  rest  upon 
you.  «  Yours  faithfully, 

"  Robert  Morrison." 
"  I  apprehend  we  shall  lose  the  Company^s  annual 
donation  to  the  College,  in  consequence  of  the  new 
system.  It  would  he  well  indeed  if  the  king's  govern- 
ment should  do  as  much  for  Chinese  literature  as  the 
Company  has  done." 

EXTRACTS  FROM  A  LETTER  TO  W.  ALERS  HANKEY,  ESQ. 

''  Canton,  China,  Jan.  31,  1834. 

*  *  "  The  interest  on  money  in  the  funds  is 
indeed  extremely  low  ;  and  on  small  sums  like  mine 
amount  to  nearly  nothing,  so  far  as  the  support  of  a 
family  goes.  As  to  my  situation  in  China,  as  respects 
secular  employment,  the  universal  opinion  is,  that  my 
services  will  he  in  request ;  hut  my  health  has  of  late 
heen  failing  me  much.  During  the  last  fortnight  I 
have  again  been  very  unwell.  That  also  is  a  reason 
against  my  entering  into  the  king's  service ;  for  the 
duties  of  translator  and  interpreter,  with  the  new  an* 
thorities,  are  likely  to  be  onerous,  to  a  degree  far  be- 
yond the  Company's  service.  However,  if  I  can  serve 
my  country,  and  the  Chinese  also,  by  accepting  the 
appointment,  it  will  be  more  consolation  than  the  mere 
subsistence,  which,  as  I  have  said  above,  British 
Churches  ought  to  relieve  me  from. 

I  apprehend  that  the  immediate  contact  which  the 
new  system  brings  the  two  governments  into,  will  in- 
volve long  and  tedious  correspondence  ;  at  least,  such 
as,  without  an  assistant,  I  should  not  be  equal  to,  and 
which,  if  I  were,  would  take  up  all  my  time,  except  on 
Sundays.     As  to  my  qualifications  for  this  situation. 


1834.] 


LETTER  TO  W.   A.   tlANKBY,  KSlj. 


507 


I 


they  are  umversally  known,  and  confessed  to  be  supe- 
rior to  any  other  Englishman,  if  not  to  any  other  Eu- 
ropean. Some  say,  if  they  wanted  a  translator,  they 
would  certainly  prefer,  before  any  other,  the  author  of 
tbe  Chinese  Dictionary.  Under  these  circumstances,  I 
incline  not  to  write  to  the  President  of  the  Board  of 
Control,  for  nothing  but  their  own  necessities  will  in- 
duce them  to  prefer  a  Missionary ;  and  that  is  a 
character  J  cannot  sink;  no,  not  if  my  daily  bread 
depend  on  it.      •  *  * 

"Should  1  be  excluded  from  employment  by  the 
new  authorities,  I  shall  of  course,  while  life  continues, 
be  compelled  to  offer  my  services  to  some  Missionary 
Society,  and  it  shall  be  first  of  all  to  the  London. 

"  The  Bible  Society  has  liberally  sent  a  copy  of  each 
of  it8  translations. 

*'  May  the  Lord  bless  you  and  your  family. 

*'  Farewell !" 

The  correctness  of  Dr.  Morrison's  opinions  respecting 
the  difficulties  which  would  probably  result  from  the 
introduction  of  the  new  system,  was  but  too  fully 
corroborated,  by  the  consequences  which  followed  the 
first  attempts  to  negociate  with  the  Chinese  on  any 
but  their  own  terms ;  while  the  importance  attached 
to  his  serTices,  appeared  by  his  having  been  appointed 
to  fill  the  situation,  under  the  king's  government, 
which  he  had  formerly  held  under  that  of  the  East 
India  Company. 

The  following  letters  from  two  old  and  valued  cor- 
respondents will  further  confirm  this  statement,  and 
1  show  how  much  was  expected  from  his  knowledge  and 
I  experience  in  aidiE^  the  decisionB  of  the  new  autho- 
[  rides. 


608  coRRfispoicDBircs.  [1834. 

FROM  CHARLES  MAJORIBAIOU.  ESQ^  M.P. 

"  My  Dear  Morrisoh,      "  Ban^gnte,  23Dd  Jolj,  1833. 

'^  I  am  conscious  how  much  I  am  to  blame  in  being 
so  neglectful  a  friend  and  correspondent;  but  my  time 
has  been  so  much  occupied  of  late,  and  I  have  had  to 
fight  on  with  such  veiy  imperfect  health,  that  I  fear  I 
have  been  veiy  remiss.     Even  now  I  am  obliged  to 
leave  London,  having  had  such  a  succession  of  late  sit- 
tings and  debates  on  the  India  BiU,  which  completely 
knocked  me  up.     The  biU   to  regulate  matters  in 
China,  is,  as  you  will  see,  a  mere  skeleton,  giving  in 
point  of  fact,  to  government,  powers  to  do  exactly  what 
they  liked,  which,  if  they  act  properly,  is  better  than 
lying  them  down  by  any  special  enactments.     Your 
services.  Grant  told  me,  they  would  be  too  anxious  to 
avail  themselves  of.     I  spoke  one  night  in  the  house 
for  about  an  hour  on  the  China  question,  and  had  a 
most  attentive  audience— on  mentioning  your  name,  it 
was  much  cheered.     There  was  a  mere  outline  given 
of  what  I  said  in  the  newpapers.     I  spoke,  I  believe, 
faster  than  the  reporters  could  follow  me,  and  they 
said  they  did  not  hear  me,  which  was  not  the  case,  as 
when   I   speak,  it  is    loud  enough.     I   should  have 
spoken  again,  but  rose  at  the  same  time  with  five  or 
six  others — ^he  who  first  caught   the  speaker's   eye, 
spoke   for  some  hours — then  came  the   one   or  two 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  when  it  is  impossible  to  make 
an  effective  speech,  having  the  certainty  of  a  worn-out 
and  fatigued  audience.     This  is  one  of  the  miseries 
in  the  House  of  Commons,  the  uncertainty  of  having 
an  opportunity.     You  may  wish  to  reply  to  some  man 
who  has  spoken  with  respect  to  China,  when  up  gets 
Joseph  Hume,  or   Charles  Wynn  and  talks  for  two 
or  three  hours  about  the  Nabob  of  Arcot's  debts,  or 


1834.]  LETTER  FROM  SIR  G,  T.  STADNTOM.  509 

the  Burmese  war.  What  principally  makes  Indian 
questions  uninteresting,  is,  that  men  will  insist  on  en- 
cumbering them  with  details,  and  often  with  phrases 
which  no  one  knows  the  meaning  of.  I  shall  be  on 
the  whole  glad  when  the  session  is  over,  as  I  want 
a  little  quiet  and  repose,  which  I  can  scarcely  say 
that  I  have  had  since  my  arrival.  I  feel,  I  assure  yoii, 
much  gratified  by  your  naming  a  son  after  me.  If 
I  can  ever  in  after  life  be  useful  to  him,  or  any  of  the 
race,  it  will  afford  me  sincere  satisfaction.  I  beg  my 
kindest  regards  to  Mrs.  Morrison,  and  ever  remain, 
*'  My  dear  Morrison, 

"  Most  sincerely  yours, 

"  C.  Mahjohibahks." 

FROM  SIR  GEO,  srAUNTON.  BART. 


'  My  Dear  Sib, 


"  Brighton,  Jan.  5th,  1 834. 


"  Allow  me  to  present  to  you  by  this  letter,  a  son 
of  my  particular  friend,  Sir  Alexander  Johnston,  who 
is  going  out  to  China  with  Lord  Napier,  as  his  private 
secretary. 

'*  As  you  and  he  will  naturally  have  much  impor- 
tant business  to  transact  together,  I  am  anxious  to 
bring  you  at  once  acquainted  with  each  otlier;  and  I 
am  persuaded  I  cannot  render  my  young  friend  a 
more  essential  service,  than  by  soliciting  for  him  your 
kind  assistance,  in  giving  liim  a  proper  insight  into  the 
genius  and  character  of  the  people  among  whom  be  is 
placed. 

"  I  had  the  pleasure,  about  a  fortnight  ago,  of  a  long 
conversation  with  Lord  Napier  about  China ;  and 
pointed  out  to  him  that  the  most  satisfactory  circum- 
stance connected  with  his  new  position,  was  the  as- 
surance of  his  having  your  able  assistance.  I  fear  he 
if  not  likely  to  retain  those  of  either  P ,  or  D . 


510  JOURNAL.  [1834. 

I  regret  that  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  approve  of  the 
measures  which  government  has  adopted  with  respect 
to  China ;  but  I  sincerely  hope  that  my  apprehensions 
may  prove  ill-founded,  and  that  the  new-system  may 
work  as  well  as  its  most  sanguine  projectors  may  de- 
sire. With  the  sincerest  regard  and  best  wishes, 
"  I  ever  am,  my  dear  Sir, 

*^  Most  truly  and  faithfully  yours, 

"  G.  T-  Sfaunton.'' 

"  dOth. — Last  evening  the  additional  packets  arrived, 
and  I  received  letters  from  Fisher  and  others,  with 
pamphlets  and  papers,  as  usual.     The  new  authorities 

will  appoint  whom  they  please  as  translators.     H 

wishes  me  to  write  to  Grant,  to  press  my  claims  ;  but, 
if  they  require  my  aid,  they  will  employ  me  ;  if  not, 
I  must  stand  aside.  However,  I  will  gladly  spend  and 
be  spent  in  the  good  work  ;  and  in  labouring  for  my 
beloved  children  whom  God  hath  given  us.  But  on 
the  other  hand,  my  late  want  of  health  rather  de- 
presses me.  Cox  prescribed  for  me  last  evening  :  cold 
and  irregular  circulation,  too  quick  through  the  brain, 
occasions  the  pain. 

"31st. — A  fine  day  for  the  last  Company 's  ship  that 
will  ever  visit  China,  to  depart  for  England.  There 
is  nothing  that  occurs  to  me  to  suggest  to  you  till  I 
hear  from  you  again.  The  whole  weight  must  rest  on 
your  own  prayerful  discretion.  *  In  all  your  ways 
acknowledge  Him,  and  He  will  direct  your  paths." 

"  My  health  has  been  but  poorly  during  the  last 
fortnight:    and  I    am  on  the    point   of  going  with 

D and  the  Factory  to  Macao.     Being  weak  and 

without  a  home  there,  I  feel  very  uncomfortable. 
However,  I  hope  all  will  be  for  the  best. 

"  Macao,  Feb.  4th. — On  Saturday  evening,  about 


P1834.]  juvnsAL.  511 

teu  o'clock,  I  embarked  with  D ,  and  the  boat  ar- 
rived laat  evening,  about  ueven  o'clock.  He  landed 
and  went  to  his  family;  as  I  had  neither  house  nor 
home,  I  remained  in  the  boat  all  night,  and  tbia  morn- 
ing entered  on  the  large  house  next  to  our  former  one. 
It  is  in  a  very  dilapidated  state,  and  the  gloss  in  the 
wiudowa  much  broken.  I  can  overlook  my  former 
study,  which  brings  many  past  gone  events  to  my 
mind.  A  letter  from  Sir  George  basju&t  come  in.  He 
mentions  his  intention  (in  May)  of  bringing  the  Col- 
lege to  the  notice  of  the  House  of  Commons,  \vhich  he 
subsequently  did. 

"6th. — To-day  I  am  moving  the  things  John  left, 
from  Grant's.  The  sight  of  the  children's  chairs,  Sec, 
makes  me  very  sad.  My  beloved  children !  Oh 
when  shall  I  again  hear  your  prayers  and  kiss  your 
cheeks !  My  aching  head,  my  aching  head !  Oh 
God  be  merciful  to  me  ! 

"  6th. — My  head  has  ceased  to  ache  ;  thanks  be  to 
God.  We  have  not  yet  got  all  the  furniture  over. 
From  this  terrace  I  have  just  been  looking  at  the  mat 
over  your  bathing-room  terrace  in  the  old  house.  It 
brings  many  scenes  to  my  recollection  ;  many  joys, 
and  some  sorrows.  A  cold  easterly  wind  blows  in 
upon  me  through  the  broken  panes ;  but  being  free 
from  headache,  I  enjoy  it.  I  have  sung  by  myself 
the  76th  Hymn  of  George  Burder's  supplement.  I 
see  it  is  Crofton's  copy. 

'  O  for  a  heart  to  praise  my  God, 
A  heart  from  sm  set  free; 
A  heart  that 's  sprinkkd  witli  Uie  blood, 
So  richly  shed  for  me ! 

'  A  himible,  lowly,  contrite  heart,'  Stc. 

It  is  one  of  those  penitential  hymns  which  smi  me. 


612  JOURKiLL.  [ISS4. 

^'  From  this  house  I  survey  the  scenes  that  were  pe- 
culiar to  us.  Not  the  Campoy  not  the  heach,  common 
to  all — ^but  the  high  hill,  the  Penha,  where  the  dear 
boys  flew  their  kites,  and   where  now  and  then  a 

solitaire^  like  old  P ,  passed  across.     The  day  has 

shone  out  in  all  the  mildness  of  the  Chinese  spring. 
The  storm,  and  the  cloud,  and  the  rain,  and  the  cold, 
have  all  passed  away — and  the  air  is  genial,  the 
heavens  cloudless,  and  the  sun  shining,  yet  not  hot. 

«  Alang,  and  Achaou  the  printer,  when  they  came 
to  make  their  new  year's  bow,  expressed  themselves 
kindly  and  religiously  in  behalf  of  Nae-nae,*  that 
God  (Shin  Teen  Shang  Te,  the  Supreme  and  Divine 
Heavenly  Ruler)  would  grant  to  you  and  the  children 
a  safe  passage  to  your  home.  Home,  in  Chinese, 
always  means  the  region  of  our  sires — ^the  land  of  our 
fathers  and  their  ancestors.  I  felt  grateful  for  the  man- 
ner and  matter  of  their  speech ;  but,  in  fear  of  insin- 
cerity, made  but  a  poor  reply. 

"  8th. — By  the  way,  I  see  from  American  papers 
that  Wilberforce  is  dead  !  He  directed  his  budal  to 
be  simple.  Now  that  is  a  topic  which  in  life  I  would 
rather  let  alone.  A  pompous  funeral,  however,  I  have 
no  reason  to  fear,  and  therefore  I  may  be  the  more  in- 
different about  it.  But  why  not  leave  such  matters  to 
survivors  1  What  is  the  use  or  the  good  of  carrying 
one's  authority  as  far  onward  as  possible  1  I  suppose 
if  Mr.  Wilberforce  had  a  pompous  funeral  bestowed 
upon  him,  no  body  would  blame  or  praise  him  for  it.** 

"  27th. — This  morning  I  received  letters  from  John 
and  Afa.  Atak  has  been  very  ill ;  so  that  his  father 
and  mother  despaired  of  his  life.  Afa  wrote  down  the 
names  of  several  medical  men,  and  prayed  to  God  to 

♦  Lady. 


4.]  JOURNAL.  513 

I  direct  hini  which  to  select.  He  chose  one  Loo,  and 
Ltlie  lad  recovered.  The  old  oltstinate  pagan  father, 
\  he  said,  was  hereby  convinced  that  Jehovah  was  God, 
Land  fell  down  and  wor8hi{)ped  him.  I  suppose  Aft 
Limitated  what  is  recorded  in  Acts,  i,  24,  where  the 
Ldisciples  prayed,  and  implored  God  to  show  which 
rhe  liad  chosen.  I  am  at  a  loss  whether  to  condemu 
I  this  transaction  or  not;  for  I  dure  not  limit  the  Holy 
1  One  of  Israel. 

"  March  2nd. — I  am  depressed  by  feeling  myself 
Lunequal  to  the  literary  labours  which  I  attempt.  Being 
quite  alone,  I  am  very  desirous  of  more  Chinese  labour, 
[|but  my  head  and  my  strength  fail  me.  Well!  I 
rdnustbe  resigned.  I  have  laboured  abundantly  in  past 
\day9,  and  have,  perhaps,  performed  my  task — all  that 
I  was  allotted  me.  God  forgive  me  wherein  I  have 
l>erred  and  sinned. 

"8th. — lam  just  going  to  put  this  into  the  Sarah's 
packet.  I  had  but  a  bad  night  with  my  head — I  am 
sometimes  afraid  of  tlie  consequences.  May  God  have 
mercy  upon  rae,  and  bless  you  all ! 

"  12th. — Went  into  a  Chinese  doctor's  lodgings  to- 

|day  and  obtained  a  prescription.     He   felt  my  pulse, 

\  end  said  1  had  sleepless  nights — which  is  true.     My 

I  chief  motive  in  going  to  him,  who  is  a  Fokeen  man, 

iras  to  scrape  an  acquaintance. 

"  15th. — I  took  a  walk  out  this  evening  towards  the 
^Bishop's  Walk,   but  got  only  as  far  as  Paiva's  hill. 
Tie  whole  of  ihe  path  or  road  where  you  and  the 
lohildren  used  to  go,  excited  such  melancholy  feelings, 
rthat,  although  the    setting    sun    seemed    to  smile,  I 
could  not  repress  my  sadness.    If  our  God  and  Father 
spare  me  in  life  to  hear  of  your  safe  arrival  in  Eng- 
land, it  will  be  a  great  consolation  to  me ;  for  1  think 
niicb  of  the  danger  of  the  sea.    Macao  is  to  me  a  very 
VOL.  n.  2  L 


614  JOURNAL.  L1834. 

melancholy  place  now.  But  I  keep  busy  aU  the  day. 
As  1  cannot  tell  what  your  circumstances  are,  I  can 
only  write  about  myself  and  things  here. 

'^16th. — I  am  going  to  read  a  sermon  on  'So 
run  that  ye  may  obtain/  1  Cor.  ix.  24*  The  Lord 
help  us  to  lay  aside  every  weight,  and  run  the  race 
that  is  set  before  us,  without  flaggings  till  we  reach 
the  goal,  and  get  the  prize— even  God  in  Christ  Jesus, 
as  our  portion  for  ever.'' 

"April  2nd. —  My  thoughts  are  much  with  you. 
Probably  this  is  an  anxious  time  with  you — approach- 
ing the  land  of  England,  without  a  home.  God 
be  with  you,  my  dear  wife,  to  support  you  and 
bless  your  all-important  charge.  Oh!  it  is  a  trial 
known  to  few  in  England,  to  be  so  far  and  so  long 
separated  from  the  head  of  the  family.  How  lightly 
my  Missionary  friends  at  home  seem  to  think  of  it  in 
my  case !  I  don't  know  what  they  would  do  in  their 
own.  What  a  scene  will  England  be  to  the  three 
elder  children!  nature  diffsrent— -art  different — ^peo- 
ple different — from  any  thing  they  had  seen  in  any 
thing  like  the  same  degree !  How  many,  my  love, 
your  cares  and  anxieties !     God  give  you  health  and 

strength — *  As  thy  day  is,  so  may  thy  strength  be."* 
♦  ♦  •  • 

April  6th. — A  letter  addressed  to  Mr.  Fisher  on  this 
day,  closes  with  the  following  paragraph  :— 

"  I  sincerely  hope  that  my  family  are  safely  on  the 
shores  of  old  England— ^r,  perhaps,  already  landed. 
But  I  know  the  uncertainty  of  life.  I  long  to  hear 
that  ^  all  b  well !'  Oh  !  that  all  may  be  well  at  last. 
Farewell!"        •         •         # 


1BS4.] 


FROM  MR.  FISHER   IN  REPLY. 


"  Reading,  Berkshire,  Sept.  27th,  1834. 
"  Mt  Dear  Friend, 
"  Your  letter  dated  from  Macao,  April  6th,  has  been 
forwarded  to  me  here.  It  ia  a  singular  coincidence, 
that  on  the  very  day  of  the  date  of  that  letter,  when 
you  were  not  without  some  gloomy  forebodings,  long- 
ing to  hear  that  all  was  well,  your  lovely  family  had 
arrived  at  my  house,  all  well^  as,  with  some  abate- 
ments incident  to  change  of  climate,  they  continued 
a  few  days  since  :  but  on  this  subject,  Mrs.  Morrison, 
whose  health  has  certainly  been  delicate  during  the 
late  hot  weather,  will  inform  you  more  fully." 


24th. — "  I  am  preparing  myself  for  our  new  autho- 
rities by  qualifying  myself  for  a  Chinese  Jurist.  No- 
thing but  law  for  the  last  two  or  three  weeks.  The 
style  and  definitions,  being  good  and  perspicuous,  the 
study  is  an  excellent  lesson  in  the  language — for  I  am 
still  a  leamer  of  Chinese.  I  have  had  a  letter  from 
the  Hong  Merchants  to  translate.  Governor  Loo  has 
ordered  them  to  enquire  of  the  Committee,  perspicu- 
ously and  minutely,  ichy  the  Company  is  "  dispersed" 
— as  they  call  it,  and  cease  to  send  ships,  and  to  trade 
at  Canton — seeing,  the  Governor  says,  that  tea  is  a 
commodity  absolutely  necessary  to  England.  The  Mer- 
chants ask  for  themselves  what  the  regulations  of  the 
new  system  are. 

"  28tb. — To-day  I  have  written  a  rather  long  letter 
to  Daniel  Wilson,  Lord  Bishop  of  Calcutta,  on  the 
exclusive  pretensions  of  episcopacy.  It  was  for  many 
days  on  ray  mind  that  some  of  our  Missionaries  ought 
to  show  cause,  why  they  'lid  not  proceed  to  Calcutta, 


I 


516  JOURNAL.  [1834. 

to  solicit  episcopal  ordination;  so  I  disburdened  my 
mind  by  writing  my  thoughts  down  on  paper.  Had 
you  been  with  me,  it  might  have  been  your  affliction 
to  listen  to  them.  However  there  they  are ;  and  having 
relieved  my  mind  by  putting  the  thoughts  in  black 
and  white,  I  shall  return  to  my  legal  studies." 

"  Last  evening,  Lady  R and  her  husband  took 

it  into  their  heads  to  pay  me  a  visit,  and  found  me  in 
my  monk's  gown,  with  a  silken  cord  round  my  waist. 
Sir  George  found  fault  with  it,  saying  it  should  have 
been  hemp,  to  beat  me  with.  Lady  R.  rather  patro- 
nizes me,  and  I  dare  say  with  the  sincerest  good- will. 

"  Would  that  these  Superintendents  were  come  to 
terminate  this  state  of  suspense ! 

"  30th. — The  last  day  of  April  is  now  gone,  but  no 
arrival  from  you,  nor  any  news  about  our  new  au- 
thorities. 

"  May  1st. — On  the  28th  of  this  month,  it  is  thirty 
years  since  I  was  accepted  as  a  Missionary  in  Mr. 
Hardcastle's  counting  house,  at  the  end  of  the  old 
London  Bridge.  Rowland  Hill  was  there,  and  asked 
me  if  I  looked  upon  the  heathen  as  angels  did  ?  As  I 
did  not  know  the  mind  of  angels,  of  course,  I  could 
not  say.  Yes. 

"  11th. — Sunday.  The  day  is  hot ;  and  the  stand- 
ing, speaking,  and  singing,  have  wearied  me.  The 
subject  was  ^  submission  under  affliction.'  The  ther- 
mometer is  up  to  82^  This  is  a  very  hot  house. 
The  heat  of  reflected  light  from  white  walls,  seems 
greater  than  sky-light.  I  seem  to  sink  under  it.  The 
vigour  of  my  constitution  cannot  withstand  the  heat 
as  it  has  done  in  past  days ;  and  I  suppose  it  could 
not  withstand  great  cold.  I  have  plenty  of  solitude 
now. 

"  16th. — I  have  received  letters  from  Medhurst  to  us 


1834.] 


317 


r 

H  anil  the  Committee,  about  his  Dictionary.*  He  wanta 
M  the  Company's  types  sent  to  him — or  he  wants  to  come 
'  altogether'  to  Canton ;  and  he  wants  to  make  the 
Bible  palatable  to  the  pagan  Chinese.  Entirely  for- 
getting how  much  nominal  christians — and  I  fear  all 
christians — disrelish  the  Bible,  he  thinks  that  by  his  im- 
proved style,  he  can  render  it  quite  a  parlour-book ! 
He  has  sent  a  Harmony  of  the  Gospels  iu  Chinese, 
written  on  purpose  to  transpose  and  alter  sentences  so 

»as  to  make  them  harmonize.  This  is  all  very  well  in 
its  own  way,  hut  it  is  a  perfectly  different  thing  from 
a  translation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 
*' "ilst. — Yesterday  evening  I  was  very  uncomfort- 
able, iu  a  manner  similar  to  last  summer,  and  did  not 
write  in  this  my  Journal.  I  had  a  restless  night,  toss- 
ing to  and  fro. 
"22nd. — The  thermometer  is  up  to  84°.  lam  a 
good  deal  oppressed  and  weakened.  If  all  be  well — 
that  is,  all  calamities  apart,  you  are  now  in  a  land  of  li- 
berty and  religion;  a  region  of  coolness  and  health  and 
»  vigour,  to  those  who  are  not  sick.  Here,  those  in  health 
are  as  if  they  were  sick.  Those  who  have  no  disease 
upon  them  are  feeble.  I  cherish  hopes  that  you  are 
all,  by  God's  mercy,  in  life  and  comparative  health. 
Happy  in  all  respects  you  cannot  be,  because  I  am  not 

twith  you ;  and  my  beloved  children  would  all  be  hap- 
pier if  Dada  were  with  them.  Oh !  how  I  long  to 
hear  of  the  state  of  your  health.  To-morrow  is  the 
160tb  day  since  you  left  me.  No  news  from  England 
for  nearly  seven  months.  The  heat  is  great  aud  rarely 
getting  sound  sleep,  I  always  feel  weary. 

*'  26th. — Sunday.     I  feel  very  weak  and  rather  de- 


•  Mr.  Medhurt*'*  Ffikien  Dictionary  was  being  printed  at  the 
Comp&ny'a  prcas  at  Macao. 


518  JOURNAL.  [1834. 

pressed ;  and  not  least  because  of  my  having  had  such 
small  success  in  converting  sinners  from  the  error  of 
their  ways. 

'^  June  7th. — Last   evening  an  affectionate  letter 

came  from  Capt.  J .     He  and  Dr.  S-^ —  were 

welly  and  desired  to  be  affectionately  remembered  to 
you  and  the  children.  The  Captain  received  my  ser- 
mon,  but  was  not  convinced  by  the  Appendix  about 
Primitive  Churches.  As  the  world  of  christians  now 
is,  I  wonder  how  any  good  man  can  adhere  to  a  system 
which  unchurches  thousands  of  the  ablest  ministers 
of  Christ,  and  tens  of  thousands  of  the  most  devoted 
christians. 

"  8th. — Sunday.  I  am  weary  and  weak.  The  day 
is  hot  and  my  strength  small.  I  read  a  sermon  of 
my  OAvn  composing ;  not  to  add  to,  or  diminish  from, 
Gods  holy  Word,  or  revealed  religion — ^not  to  make 
our  own  feelings,  or  men's  opinions,  the  rule  of  our 
religion,  but  the  commandments  of  the  Lord.  At 
Chinese  worship  I  had  only  eight  for  a  congregation. 

"  9th. — Yesterday  afternoon,  and  all  night,  I  had 
the  distressing  sensations  which  I  had  last  summer. 
But  I  will  bear  patiently  the  will  of  the  Lord,  and  the 
course  of  nature.  These  bodies  must  return  to  the 
dust  from  whence  they  were  taken. 

"  12th. — Accounts  from  England  have  arrived. 
The  appointment  of  Lord  Napier,  &c.,   confirmed. 

"  16th. — A  man  in  very  ragged  dirty  clothes  hung 
about  my  door  for  several  days,  and  at  last  I  had  him 
brought  in  to  ascertain  something  of  his  case ;  full  of 
suspicion  at  the  same  time  that  he  m^ht  be  an  impos- 
tor. I  think  he  is  not.  He  is  an  educated  man,  de- 
voted to  the  profession  of  letters,  has  attained  two 
degrees,  and  has  been  thrice  at  Peking,  attending  exa- 
minations for  a  higher  degree  and  subsequent  office. 


'1634.3 


LAST    SERMON. 


H     He  is  a  nortli  countryman  ;  speaks  the  mandarin  ex- 

V     ceedingly  well ;  but  having  no  useful  profession,  and 

here  without  money  or  friends,  he  obtains  a  few  cash 

now  and  then  by  writing  papers  when  people  employ 

»him.  And  having  got  a  doUar  now  and  then  from  fo- 
reigners, he  wafl  waiting  in  the  street  to  kneel  down  and 
knock  his  head  against  the  ground  to  beg  of  me — but 
as  Chinese  were  always  passing,  he  was  ashamed.  I 
think  that  with  his  knowledge  of  letters  there  must  be 
something  wrong  about  him,  otherwise  he  might  get 
K  employment  for  his  talents.  His  name  is  Ting ;  he  is 
H  forty-one  years  of  age.  It  is  not  uncommon  in 
Canton  for  north  countrymen  to  be  thus  destitute. 
The  Canton  people  fear  them  and  dislike  them ;  and 
they  are  friendless,  as  if  in  a  foreign  country. 

I**  19th. — I  have  just  finished  a  sermon  on  our  Lord's 
words,  '  In  my  father's  house  are  many  mansions.' 
I  trust  we  are  of  the  family  of  God — and  so  have  a 
rich  inheritance  and  a  home  to  look  to,  after  our  pilgri- 
mage is  terminated,  and  our  warfare  accomplished. 
Jesus  will  come  again  and  take  us  to  himself — and  we 
shall  be  ever  with  the  Lord,  and  in  the  lest  society. 
Comfort  thyself  with  these  words."         •  * 

■  This  was  the  last  sermon  Dr.  Morrison  ever  wrote 
— just  forty  days  before  he  was  called  to  join  the 
general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first-born,  in 
heaven.  He  prepared  it  to  preach  on  the  following 
Lord's-day  ;  but  the  intense  heat  of  the  weather,  and 
his  own  increasing  debility,  obliged  him  to  relinquish 
hia  English  service,  which  at  this  time  was  held  at  the 
residence  of  a  friend ;  his  own  rooms  at  that  time  not 
K  being  sufincieutly  commodious  for  the  purpose.  About 
H  a  month  after,  when  requested  by  Lord  Napier  to  per- 
form divine  service  in  the  Company's  chapel,  he  revised 
this  sermon    for   the  occasion ;  but   some  reluctance 


520 


[1^ 


on  the  part  of  the  high  church  people  hnving  been 
mnnifested,  the  service  was  given  up  in  Macao,  and 
it  was  never  delivered.  It  suggests  foor  topics  of 
consolation  to  the  christian,  under  circumstances  of 
affliction.  The  first  is,  "  Faith  in  God  as  their 
reconciled  Father,  and  in  Jesus  as  the  promised  Mes- 
siah, the  great  Eedcemer,  who  came  to  save  his 
people  from  their  sins;"  secondly,  "the  recollection 
that  they  had  been  adopted  into  the  family  of  God  ;" 
thirdly,  "  that  they  had  a  rich  inheritance  ;"  and, 
fourthly,  "that  they  were  advancing  towards  an 
everlasting  home — the  happiness  of  which  would,  in  a 
great  degree,  consist  in  the  gociety  formed  there — the 
family  of  God,  from  all  ages,  and  out  of  all  uatioiifl — 
patriarchs  and  prophets,  apostles,  and  martyrs,  and 
confessors,  with  the  more  humble  followers  of  the 
Lamb ;  and  above  all,  the  Saviour  whom  they  would 
see  face  to  face!" 

From  the  vivid  description  of  the  heavenly  state 
therein  given,  the  writer's  spirit  seemed  elevated  to  a 
participation  in  tlie  bliss  which  he  was  soon  to  realize. 
*'  20th. — Last  evening  I  was  carried  to  the  top  of  the 
Penha  hill,  to  the  rock  on  which  you  used  to  sit,  and 
found  the  air  refreshing  and  the  view  delightful,  but 
mixed  with  sorrowful  reminiscences.  I  have  not  had, 
as  I  hoped,  a  good  night  in  consequence  of  the  air 
and  exercise.  I  am  not  quite  so  bad  as  last  summer, 
but  languid  and  restless,  though  labouring  to  write. 
I  would  not  tell  you  that  I  am  ailing,  if  I  judged  as 
some  do.  But  you  know  I  never  use  concealment. 
I  may  possibly  even  grumble  more  than  there  is  occa- 
sion ;  but  I  am  not  worse  than  I  say.  In  about  thirty 
days  more,  if  God  spare  my  life,  I  hope  to  hear  from 
England  of  your  safe  arrival.  Lord,  grant  it 
Jesua'  sake." 


1834.]         LORD  NAriKB'e  abhival  in  nuNA.  5'*1 

"2l3t. — Feeling  still  much  debility,  I  havn  relio- 
quished  the  English  service  in  Lady  R-'s  bungalow 
to-morrow.  To  go  out  in  the  heat  of  the  day,  and 
stand  80  long,  was  a  greater  effort  than  to  have  service 
at  home.  The  little  strength  I  have,  1  will,  with 
God's  help,  devote  entirely  to  Chinese.  Do  not  be 
anxious  about  me.  I  am  in  the  hands  of  God  my 
Saviour,  who  has  been  with  me  in  many  troubles  and 
will  never  leave  me." 

In  this  letter,  which  was  the  last  to  which  his  sig- 
nature was  affixed,  he  addressed  the  foliowiug  para- 
graph to  one  of  his  children. 

*'  Robert,  my  dear  son,  for  fear  of  expensive  post- 
age, I  do  not  write  to  you  and  sisters  and  brothers  se- 
parate letters.  Bat  I  hope  hereafter,  when  Lord  Na- 
pier arrives,  I  shall  be  able  to  send  letters  to  you  free 
of  expense,  in  the  government  packets  ;  for  you  must 
know  that  Dada  is  a  'king's  servant.'  King  William 
ia  my  master.  However,  Robert,  my  dear  boy,  I  have 
a  greater  Master  thau  England's  king.  The  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  is  He  whom  I  serve.  He  has  gone  to 
prepare  a  home  for  me,  and  for  you,  and  all  who  serve 
him,  in  his  Father's  house  in  heaven.  I  hope  that  by 
this  time,  you  and  Crofton  are  preparing  to  go  to  some 
school.  I  suppose  you  have  been  about  six  weeks  in 
England.     To-day  the  thermometer  is  86°, 

"  22nd.  Sunday. — Having  no  English  service  to- 
day, we  began  our  Chinese  at  eleven.  The  literary 
graduate  was  with  us,  and  tried  to  sing.  I  had  consi- 
derable liberty  and  freedom  of  utterance  on  the  things 
of  God.  It  must  have  appeared  singularly  novel  to 
him.     Oh  !  that  the  truth  may  make  him  free. 

"  July  6lh. — ^The  American  Bible  Society  has  given 
3000  dollars  for  the  issue  of  Chinese  Bibles.  ap- 
plied to  Serampore  to  see  where  he  could  get  them 


&»  JOURNAL.  [18^ 

cheapest  But  tliey  could  not  make  him  up  one  ci 
plete  copy  of  the  whole  Bible  ;  so  that  be  is  obli| 
to  go  to  the  Aiiglo-Cbinese  College  for  Morriaou 
Mitnes  versiuu.  He  makes  a  sort  of  virtue  of  thisnei 
aity !  although  my  nameisinclmled  to  manage  thegrai 
It  ia  a  matter  of  great  consolation  to  me,  now  that  I 
can  do  so  little,  that  my  former  labours  on  the  Holy 
Scriptures  are  being  multiplied  by  thousands.  By  tlie 
Chinese  Bible,  when  dead,  I  shall  yet  speak.  Great 
is  the  honour  God  has  couferredoume,  in  employing 
me  to  put  into  Chinese  the  inspired  writings  of  Moses 
and  David,  the  Prophets  and  Apostles  of  God  ;  but, 
I  humbly  hope,  unworthy  though  I  be,  a  greater  b1 
— that  my  name  is  written  in  heaven.  Oh,  that 
may  find  mercy  in  ifiai  day  ! 

"  12tli. — We  have  bad  thunder  and  lightning  ai 
rain    to-day,  but    the  thermometer    keeps  at  85' 
has  been  91°. 

"  14th. — A called,  and  told  me  that  the  An^ 

dromache  with  Lord  Napier  is  outside  Cabreta  Point. 
A  northerly  wind  prevents  his  getting  in. 

"  15th. — Last    evening   the    packet  arrived, 
mind  is  quite  easy  that  the  Lord  will  provide  what 
necessary  for  us.     I  feel  indisposed  to  solicit  eii 
court  or  parliament. 

"  I  have  finished  a  long  essay  on  the  use  and  abi 
of  the  word  Church :  trying,  but  I  fear  in  vain,  to 
break  down  the  exclusive  system. 

*'  28th. — A  fore-runner  of  Lord  Napier's  has 
rived  iu  an  American  ship,  with  part  of  his  Lordshi 
furniture,  &ic. 

"29th.  Sunday. — The  thermometer  is  87°  to  day^ 
and  I  am  weaker  than  uBual,  but  not  accompanied  by 
pain.  We  had  a  Chinese  service  of  an  hour's  length, 
which  was  as  long  as  I  was  able  to  speak  and  sing.   It 


ises 

% 

I 

,  to 

4 


1834.] 


HIB   MAJESTY  3   COMMISSION    RBAn. 


523 


grieves  me  that  these  my  labnure  seem  so  much  in 
vain.  O  that  it  would  pteaae  the  Lord  to  *  work  with 
II  e  j'  and  let  '  Hia  power  rest  upon  me.'  I  trust 
you  and  our  beloved  children  are  tliis  day  in  health, 
enjoying  tlie  blessings  of  an  English  sabbath.  My 
beloved  Robert  must  have  been  astonished  beyond 
measure  by  a  sight  of  London.  Crofton  and  Hannah 
too,  were  old  enough  to  enjoy  the  wonder.  Still,  I 
dare  say,  they  will  never  quite  foi^et  the  barren  hills 
of  Macao — Robert  especially.  For  the  fond  recol- 
lections  of  our  childhood  do  not  depend  upon  the  su- 
periority of  the  place  in  which  it  was  spent ;  nor  even 
the  circumstances  of  affluence  or  poverty.  It  is  the 
time  of  life  that  gives  the  charm ;  whether  riding  on 
a  five-bar  gale  or  in  a  royal  carriage.  The  happiest 
abode  (so  far  as  Iiouse  goes)  was  my  father's  work- 
shop, swept  clean  by  my  own  hands,  of  a  Saturday 
evening,  and  dedicated  to  prayer  and  meditation  on 
the  Sunday,  There  was  my  bed,  and  there  was  my 
study.  So  I  dare  say,  my  beloved  son  Robert,  (if  he 
still  lives,)  will  remember  Dada  and  Mamma  in  Macao, 
and  his  prayers  at  his  father's  knee,  among  the  dearest 
recollections  of  his  childhood.  And  he  will  probably 
too  remember  his  trip  to  Canton  with  Dada,  where  he 
behaved  so  manfully,  and  so  much  to  my  satisfaction, 
both  going  and  coming  in  boats,  and  whilst  there. 

R can  bear  afflictions  from  the  hand  of  G<»d  ; 

but  not  unkindneSH  or  violence  from  the  hand  of  man. 

"  July  5th. — My  beggar  friend  says,  the  christian 
books  I  gave  him  have  opened  quite  a  new  field  of 
vision  and  of  thought.  O  may  the  Holy  Spirit  en- 
lighten his  mind. 

*'  16th. — Lord  Napier  landed  yesterday,  about 
three,  p.m.  The  frigate  fired  a  salute  when  he  left  the 
ship,  and  the  Portuguese  fired  one  when  he  reached 


S24 


[18 


ked       I 


the  shore.  I  went  down  to  the  Chinese  custoin-hoii&o 
where!  he  landed,  Rnd  hsnded  one  of  his  daughtere 
from  the  boat  t<i  my  chair,  in  which  she  went  to  D.'s. 
I  introduced  myself  to  him  in  going  up  Btaira.  He 
took  me  by  the  hand,  and  said  he  was  glad  to  make 
my  acquaintance.  He  was  dressed  in  his  naval  uni- 
form. Lady  Napier  rose  from  her  chair,  and  walked 
towards  me  to  shake  hands  with  roe,  with  a  smilii 
countenance  and  civil  speech  ;  saying  she  seemed 
have  been  loug  acquainted  with  me,  bcii^  so  faroi] 
with  my  name. 

"  At  noon  to-day,  a  meeting  of  all  the  Factory 
people  was  summoned  at  Lord  Napier's,  to  hear  the 
king's  commission  read.  That  which  concerned  me 
and  you,  and  our  beloved  children,  I  will  tell  first: — 
I  am  to  be  styled  '  Chinese  Secretary  and  Interpreter,' 
and  to  have  £1300  a-year,  without  any  allowances 
whatever — for  domiiie,  or  house-rent,  or  any  thing 
else.  I  am  to  wear  a  vice-consul's  coat,  with  king's 
buttons,  when  I  can  get  one  !  Government  will  pay 
one  hundred  dollars  per  month  to  the  College,  instead 
of  the  Company.  His  Lordship  asked  whether  I  ac- 
cepted of  tile  appointment  or  not.  I  told  him  at  once, 
that  I  did.     He  then  said  he  would  fortliwith  make 

out  my  commission.     takes  twenty.four  hours 

to  think  before  he  gives  an  answer.  He  asked  my 
opinion,  as  a  man  of  thought  and  judgment ;  I  re- 
ferred it  entirely  to  a  matter  of  taste  and  feeling ; 
warning  him  that  he  would  be  liable  to  public  censure, 
as  superintendent,  if  things  went  wrong.  Napier 
pressed  them  all  for  a  speedy  answer,  that  he  may  pro- 
ceed  to  work.  Pray  for  me,  that  I  may  be  faithful  to 
my  blessed  Saviour  in  the  new  place  I  have  to  occupy. 
It  is  rather  an  anomalous  one  for  a  Missionary, 
vice-consul's  uniform  instead  of  tlie  preaching  gow 


1834.]  JOURNAL.  525 

People  congratulate  me.  They  view  it,  1  believe,  as  a 
provision  for  my  family,  and  in  that  sense  congratu- 
late me.  But  man,  at  bis  best  estate,  is  altogether 
vanity. 

"  17th. — I  expect  to  have  to  go  to  Canton  soon. 
Lord  Napier  saya  that  all  business  must  be  carried  on 
there.  I  sJiall  therefore  not  be  required  in  Macao,  nor 
shall  I  need  a  house  here,  unless  sickness  force  me 
down.     An  easterly  wind  and  rain  make  it  unusually 

cold    for  this  season.     has  accepted  ofH.  M.'s 

Commission.  Thus  all  the  places  are  filled  up,  and  it 
is  said  we  go  to  Canton  on  the  21st  instant. 

*'  18th. — Two  hundred  and  twenty  days  are  now 
nearly  completed  since  you  left.  Surely  in  twenty 
days  more,  if  the  Lord  spare  my  life,  I  shall  iiear  of 
your  safe  arrival  in  England."         •  •         • 

Exactly  at  that  period,  the  letters  written  on  the 
voyage,  and  those  announcing  the  family's  arrival  in 
England,  reached  China ;  but  the  heart  so  deeply  in- 
terested in  their  contents  had  ceased  to  beati 

"  19th. — There  is  an  end  of  the  Factory  now.  The 
new  system  has  commenced,  although  no  orders  are 
yet  issued. 

"  In  former  times,  it  was  sis  months  annually  in 
Canton  ;  now,  it  is  to  be  all  the  year  roimd.  It  isjust 
as  well  you  are  not  here,  to  be  afflicted  by  my  entering 
nn  such  a  service. 

I  have  received  letters  from  England  up  to  the 
8th  of  March.  Fisher  tells  me  he  had  a  house  to  receive 
you ; — wishes  you  a  safe  passage ;  and  says,  on  his 
own  authority,  that  the  Directors  will  have  a  residence 
prepared  for  you. 

"  Sunday  20th. — This  has  been  rather  a  distracts 
ing  day — I  will  tt-ll  you  how.  Last  evening,  Lady 
Napier    wrote  to  me  to    preach    iu  the  Chapel    this 


MO 


ACCOMPANIES    LORD    NAPIEIt 


[18 


morning.    Of  course  I  assented,  and  made  preparation. 

This  morning,  however,  's  opinion   was  elicited. 

He  was  'silently'  opposed  to  it;  but  left  it  to  his  Lord- 
ship's authority.  His  Lordship  did  not  choose  to  ex- 
ercise authority  over  the  Company's  chapel ;  and  he 
would  not  have  service  in  Grant's  liouse,  where  he 
lives,  for  fear  of  'party  work.'  And  so  there  was  no 
public  worship  this  morning  at  all. — He  haa  written 
now  (one,  p.  m.)  to  Lord  Napier,  to  give  the  chapel 
entirely  to  his  disposal — tliat  I  may  '  do  duty'  there 
this  evening.  His  Lordship  will  not,  however,  accept 
of  it  now.  Lady  N.,  seems  to  love  religion ;  she 
wrote  to  me  last  evening,  '  Allow  me  to  add  that  I 
rejoice  at  the  thoughts  of  again  meeting  with  fellow- 
christians  in  the  house  of  God,  after  so  long  being 
debarred  that  privilege.'  In  another  note,  she  wrote 
*  I  beg  to  say  that  it  will  at  all  times  give  me  plea- 
sure to  receive  you  in  my  house ;  and  that  I  hope 
my  daughters  and  myself  will  have  many  opportuni- 
ties of  a  little  quiet  conversation  on  religious  subjects, 
to  which  I  feel  doubly  anxious  to  draw  their  atten- 
tion in  this  remote  land.'  Gladly  would  I  meet  her 
wishes,  but  I  shall  soon  go  to  Canton,  and  but  few 
opportunities  will,  I  fear,  occur.  Besides,  unhappily, 
I  have  not  much  talent  for  what  some  call  '  parlour 
preaching.'  My  thoughts  are  too  abrupt  and  senten- 
tious for  continuous  conversation. 

"  22nd. — I  saw  Lord  Napier  yesterday,  and  he  wills 
me  to  go  in  the  frigate  with  him  to-morrow,  as  far  as 
the  Bogue,  and  from  thence  in  the  cutter  to  Canton. 
He  will  not  negociate  with  Hong  Merchants,  but  wiUl 
Government  Officers  ;  this  will  make  my  presence  i 
ways  necessary  when  any  interview  takes  place. 
Lordship  says  he  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  ■ 
Company's  chapel  at  Macao.     The  chaplain  is  to  1 


r 


lct34.] 


TO   CANTON. 


527 


confined  to  Canton.  I  am  sorry  that  I  have  to  travel 
to  Canton  in  this  hot  weather  ;  for  I  am  by  no  means 
strong. 

"  There  is  a  young  man  here,  aged  twenty-seven,  a 
priest ;  he  styles  himself  '  Le  Comte  Beiis,  Italien.'  He 
called  the  other  day,  and  I  returned  his  visit  this  morn- 
ing ahout  nine,  at  your  friend   Raphael's.     On  my 

way  home,  I  went  into  Beale's,  where  A told  me 

that  some  newspapers  from  Bengal  mentioned  that  the 
'  Inglis'  passed  St.  Helena*  on  the  SOth  of  February  ! 
If  this  be  true,  it  was  bo  far  a  very  good  passage.  I 
thank  God  and  take  courage  Thus  you  might  be  in 
England  by  the  lOth  of  April.  Ob!  that  I  may  soon 
hear  of  your  safety  and  your  health.  The  young 
Comte,  who  conceals  his  priesthood,  wants  to  go  to 
Peking  as  an  Astronomer.  There  is  no  probability  of 
bJ9  succeeding.  None  of  our  noblemen  have  yet  be- 
come Missionaries." 

The  brief  notice,  in  tiie  next  paragraph  of  this  jour- 
nal, conveys  but  an  inadequate  idea  of  the  suffering 
endured  by  the  writer  of  it,  on  the  occasion  referred 
to.  After  quitting  the  frigate,  at  tlie  Bogue,  he  re- 
mained all  night  in  an  open  boat,  exposed  to  the  heat 
and  a  storm  of  rain  ;  which,  together  with  the  anxiety 
and  fatigue  occasioned  by  discussions  with  the  local 
government,  in  which  he  had  to  take  a  responsible 
part,  immediately  upon  his  arrival  in  Canton,  doubt- 
less accelerated  an  event  so  deeply  and  eo  univer- 
sally deplored. 

The  reader  may  have  some  notion  of  the  nature  of 
the  altercations,  in  which  the  English  were  frequently 
involved  with  the  Chinese  local  authorities,  from  pre- 
vious statements.      On  the   present  occasion,    they 

•  Letters  were  left  »l  St,  Helena,  hut  they  did  not  reach  ChinB 
sooner  than  those  from  EngUnd. 


5119 


LABT    ILLNESe. 


CW 


aroee,  first,  from  Lord  Napier's  appearance  at  Canton 
without  tlie  permission  of  the  supreme  government ; 
and,  secondly,  from  his  Lordship's  refusing  to  treat 
vrith  the  officers  of  government  through  the  medium 
of  native  commercial  agents.  The  day  after  aniring 
at  Canton,  Dr.  Morrison  writes : 

"  Caoton,  Juljr  25lh. 

"  On  Wednesday  morning  I  embarked  at  Macao 
with  Lord  Napier  and  others,  on  board  the  '  Andn>> 
raache,'  Captain  Chads ;  and  tJiia  morning,  about  three 
o'clock,  1  arrived  in  Canton,  in  Captain  Neish's  boat. 
My  feeble  state  of  health,  the  heat  of  the  weather, 
and  a  hend-ache  into  the  bargain,  made  the  journey 
extremely  uncomfortable.  To-day  I  have  been  very 
low.  1  thought  1  must  give  up  tlie  king's  service, 
from  entire  inability  to  bear  the  fatigue  of  it  in  Canton. 
God  help  me,  my  dear  love.  I  will  do  nothing  rashly. 
But  in  walking  through  the  hot  sun  to-day  from  Uiis 
house  to  the  Company's,  where  Lord  Napier  is,  I  was 
like  to  drop  in  the  etreetSi  and  have  been  groaning  on 
my  couch  ever  since — being  now  past  eight  in  the 
evening.  Oh !  that  I  may  have  cheering  accouuta 
from  you  soon !  Good  night,  my  beloved  wife — Oh  1 
my  beloved  children  !     God  be  with  you  all. 

'  26tli. — I  have  had  a  busy  day.  Blessed  be  God, 
I  had  more  strength  than  yesterday.  At  ten  I  attended 
the  Council  Board  ;  and  from  that  time  till  three, 
was  translating  a  letter  from  Lord  Napier  to  the  Go- 
vernor of  Canton.  John  assisted  me  in  revision,  and 
Achaou  copied  it.  John  has  gone  with  Astell  and 
others  to  the  city  gate  to  deliver  it.  In  the  interim 
1  was  called  for  by  Lord  Napier  to  go  and  interpret 
between  him  and  old  Howqua.  I  felt  unable  tu 
walk,  and  hired  a  chair  in  Canton,  close  shut  ua 
smuggle  me  through  the  streets. 


«0 


LAST   1LLNE99, 


I 


"  27th. — Sunday.  I  liave  just  concluded  Cliiiieee 
worship— old  and  young,  domines,  and  workmen,  and 
servants — we  had  for  Cliina  a  large  congregation  ;  and 
our  hymns  would  he  heard  out  of  doors.  Old  Le  is 
very  frail,  and  thinks  he  must  die  soon.  He  says  he 
helieves  in  Chiist  Jesus,  and  he  makes  a  point  of 
coming  on  sabbath  to  worship.  God  grant  that  he 
may  find  mercy  in  tliat  day.  I  feel  very  weak,  my 
love,  and  cannot  refrain  from  shedding  many  teara. 
I  hope  the  Lord  is  with  you  and  all  our  beloved 
children ! 

"  John  and  the  party  who  went  last  evening  to  de- 
liver Lord  Napier's  letter,  staid  long,  and  returned 
without  success.  The  Governor  would  not  receive  it 
but  through  the  Hong  Merehauta,  and  the  Superin- 
tendant  won't  employ  the  Merchants — and  so  there  is 
a  feud*  at  the  very  outset.  John  was  recognized  by 
the  Mandarins  as  Morrison's  son.  I  expect  no  good 
to  UB  to  arise  Irom  it.  May  the  Lord  overrule  all  for 
tlie  furtherance  of  the  Gosptil. 

"  My  name  was  publislied  yesterday,  with  the  other 
officers  of  the  king's  commission.  It  stands  above  the 
surgeons  and  chaplains  and  private  secretary. 

"  26th. — Eight,  P.M.  We  have  spent  another  tire- 
some day,  my  love,  with  political  squabbles,  and  got 
no  nearer  agreement  yet.  My  health  is  much  the 
same. 

"  29th.— 

The  journal  for  the  three  following  days  was  con- 
tinued— hut  another  hand  penned  the  afflicting  detail. 
"  Wednesday,  30tb. — A  most  painful  night.    Early 

I  ttie  detail  has  already  been   before   the   public,  it  ia  liot 
Y  to  enter  into  any  explanation  here. 
VOL.  II.  2  M 


530  HIS  DEATH.  [1834. 

in  the  morning  Mr.  Anderson  was  sent  for,  and  came. 
CoUedge  was  confined  to  bed.  Medicine  was  given — 
but  no  relief  was  obtained. 

"Thursday,  31st. — Mr.  Anderson  thought  my  be- 
loved father  somewhat  better.  Alas !  it  was  but  the 
momentary  flare  of  an  expiring  flame.  But  his  spirit 
was  ripening  for  glory.  CoUedge  came  in  the  evening. 
Declared  it  necessary  to  go  to  Macao.  Yet  we  feared 
not — ^perhaps  it  was  well  ordained  that  we  did  not  ap- 
prehend the  so  near  approach  of  death.  Cupping  and 
a  warm  bath.  The  last  was  followed  by  great  weak- 
ness,— almost  entire  exhaustion.  Medicines  were  now 
given  to  stop  the  motion  of  the  bowels.  No  food  was 
retained.  About  midnight  the  breathing  was  so  short 
— ^that  I,  for  the  first  time,  feared  that  death  was  nigh 
unto  us.  The  doctor  was  called,  and  remained  till 
morning.     An  opiate  afibrded  relief  and  sound  sleep. 

"  Friday,  1st  of  August. — Lord  have  mercy  upon  us. 
Be  thou  a  supporter  and  helper  to  us!  Let  us  not  re- 
pine or  murmur  ;  but  rather  rejoice  that  the  dear,  dear 
sufferer  was  removed  from  the  evil  to  come,  that  he 
has  found  rest  in  Thee ! — The  night  was  now  advanced 
— so  also  was  the  night  of  aflfiiction.  He  was  in  the 
dark  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death — ^but  he  was  about 
to  emerge  into  the  unspeakable  brightness  of  heavenly 
glory,  in  the  presence  of  God  and  our  Saviour.  The 
exhausted  body  now  rapidly  sank :— cold  and  pale 
was  that  cheek,  which  till  then  had  retained  the  ap- 
pearance of  health. — I  can  say  no  more — ^it  is  as  a 
dream — ^but  *  this  mortal  shall  put  on  immortaliy, 
&c."         *  »  » 

A  continuation  of  the  particulars  of  this  aflflictive 
event  will  be  found  in  the  following  letter  from  Mr. 
J.  R.  Morfison,  written  in  the  boat  which  conveyed 
the  remains  of  his  beloved  father  to  Macao  : — 


1834.] 


LETTEU   IX)    MRS.    MORHISON. 


TO  MR.1.  MonnisoN. 

"August  4th,  1834. 
"  My   dear MY   DEABE3T   MoTHBB, 

"  Were  I  not  most  fully  assured  that  your  trust  is 
in  Him  that  is  mighty,  and  who  giveth  to  his  own 
'  strength  equal  to  their  day,'  I  could  not  write  to  you 
at  this  time.  Standing  myself  in  need  of  consolation, 
what  comfort  could  I  convey  to  my  beloved- — my  pre- 
cious, and  now  afflicted  mother,  if  I  were  unable  to 
say  that  he,  whom  we  all  so  much  loved,  has  gone  to 
his  Father's  house  in  peace.  He  did  what  was  ap- 
pointed to  him  to  do.  He  worked  while  it  was  called 
to-day — the  night  came,  and  he  fell  peacefully  asleep 
in  Jesus.  The  everlasting  arms  were  under  and  around 
him.  From  pain,  and  sorrow,  and  sin,  he  found  a 
speedy  and  happy  transition  to  the  kingdom  of  ever- 
lasting joy  ;  he  received  a  crown  of  rejoicing  in  that 
day.  Doubtless  every  hope  of  his  heart  is  now  ful- 
filled— far — far  above  his  highest  expectations.  In 
the  strength  of  his  crucified  and  exalted  Saviour,  he 
has  triumphed  over  death  and  the  grave.  Oh  death, 
where  is  thy  sting!  Oh  grave,  where  is  thy  victory! 
No  sting  was  there  felt.  The  smile  of  peaceful  de- 
liverance from  the  hand  of  the  tyrant  was  there  alone 
seen.  The  transports  of  victory  were  not  indeed  mani- 
fested ;  but  the  meek  placidity  which  characterized  his 
christian  life  was  present  in  all  its  power  at  that  closing 
scene — a  scene,  to  us— oli!  how  afflicting !  but  to  him, 
full  of  joy,  and  glory,  and  exceeding  great  gain. 

"  How  shall  1  detail  to  you,  my  dear  mother,  a 
scene  of  such  woe  to  us !  My  loved — now  sainted 
father,  rapidly  declined  in  his  strength.  He  had  ex- 
hausted himself  in  performing  his  Master's  work. 
While  he  was  yet  at  Macao,  I  was  delighted  with  the 
2m  2 


532  PARTICULARS  OF  [1834. 

prospect  of  his  recovery ;  relief  from  one  principal 
cause  of  anxiety  being  in  great  measure  afforded  by 
the  arrival  of  Lord  Napier.  Letters  from  our  beloved 
and  distant  family  would,  I  hoped,  relieve  him  en- 
tirely. But  the  all- wise  and  all-merciful  Father  of  us 
all,  seeth  not  as  man  seeth.  His  ways  are  not  as 
our  ways ;  neither  are  his  thoughts  as  our  thoughts. 
And  the  more  I  think  of  what  He  has  done,  the  more 
manifestly  do  I  behold  His  gracious  hand  operating 
throughout !  O,  my  mother,  may  He,  of  His  Al- 
mighty power,  grant  to  you  strength  to  receive  pa- 
tiently the  afflicting  accounts  which  He,  in  his  good 
pleasure,  has  appointed  me  to  convey  to  you.  I  little 
thought,  and  I  believe  my  dear— dear  father  little 
thought,  how  much  disease  had  gained  upon  him ; 
or  he  would  not — ^he  could  never  have  been  permitted, 
to  leave  Macao.  But  it  was  the  Lord's  will,  and  I 
now  bless  his  holy  name,  that  my  father  was  at  least 
permitted  to  yield  up  his  spirit  in  my  arms.  That  af- 
flicting event — (afflicting  and  grievous  indeed  to  us, 
but  full  of  blessing  to  him) — took  place  on  Friday, 
the  Ist,  about  ten  o'clock  at  night.  My  mother,  my 
mother,  while  you  suffer  that  grief  which  you  cannot 
indeed  but  suffer,  permit  an  affectionate  son  to  remind 
you,  that  we  sorrow  not  as  those  that  are  without  hope. 
If  we  serve  the  same  Master,  whom  he  so  long  and  faith- 
fully served,  we  shall  be  brought  into  the  same  in- 
heritance  of  peace  and  everlasting  joy,  into  which  he 
has  now  entered. 

"  On  Friday,  the  25th  of  July,  I  had  the  happiness 
again  to  see  my  father,  after  a  separation  of  nearly  five 
months.  But  that  pleasure  was  greatly  damped  by 
the  extreme  weakness  which  prostrated  all  his  bodUy 
powers ;  but  never  touched  his  powerful  mind.     On 


I 


I 


1834.]  DR.     MORRIBONe    LAST    ILLNFSS.  533 

the  27th,  which  was  Sunday,  he  had  his  little  Chinese 
congregation  around  him,  and  addressed  them  na  much 
as  his  strength  would  permit ;  and  truly  it  was,  in  tliia 
heathen  land,  a  most  cheering  gight  to  see  upivarda  ol' 
a  dozen  Chinese,  of  the  most  depraved  city  of  this 
dehased  empire,  joining  in  prayer  and  praise  to  our 
cruciiied  Redeemer.  May  he — O  may  niy  dear  fa- 
ther, be  enabled  to  present  them  before  the  judgment- 
seat  of  his  God,  and  at  the  footstool  of  liis  Saviour, 
as  '  a  crown  of  rejoicing  in  that  day.'  A  greater  than 
usual  degree  of  solemnity  appeared  to  pervade  the 
little  congregation,  as  we  received  from  those  lips, 
then  dying  (though  we  thought  it  not),  the  words  of 
everlasting  life.  And  loudly  did  we  sing  praises  to 
the  Lamb  who  was  dead  and  is  alive  again,  and  who 
livelh  for  evermore.  May  those  praises  be  re-echoed 
from  the  lips  of  all  of  us  in  the  glorious  kingdom  of 
our  Lord !  y 

"  On  Monday  and  Tuesday  his  weakness  and  pain 
slowly  increased.  On  Monday  he  went  twice  in  a 
chair  to  Lord  Napier's.  The  next  day  the  chairmen 
were  afraid  to  come ;  but  had  they  come,  he  could 
not  have  gone  out.  Still  we  hoped  that  an  improve- 
ment in  the  weather  would  be  sufficient  to  afford  him 
relief.  On  Wednesday  morning,  after  a  very  bad 
night,  Mr.  Anderson,  the  assistant-surgeon  of  the  new 
establishment,  was  sent  for.  He  came  immediately, 
and  every  thing  that  attention  could  do  was  done. 
Colledge  was  then  confined  to  his  bed,  and  Mr.  An- 
derson attended  alone  until  Thursday  afternoon,  when 
Colledge  was  sufficiently  recovered  to  accompany  him. 
Cupping  and  a  warm  bath,  were  then  resorted  to.  Mr. 
Anderson  remained  great  part  of  the  night ;  and  on 
Friday  they  thought  the  dear  patient  was  better.     But 


S34  PARTICULARS   OF  [1834. 

he  was  extremely  weakened,  a  raging  fever  was  upon 
him ;  and  his  breath,  during  the  night,  had  been  at 
one  time  so  much  shortened,  that  I  began  for  the  first 
time  to  apprehend  that  the  Lord  had  called  him 
home.  As  he  recovered,  however,  from  this  attack, 
we  hoped  that  the  end  of  his  labours  was  not  yet 
come ;  nor  did  he  (though  fully  prepared,  with  his 
lamp  trimmed,  and  his  light  burning)  suppose  that  the 
Bridegroom  was  so  very  near.  He  had  been  treated 
chiefly  for  disease  in  the  stomach,  where  it  was  that  he 
felt  pain.  They  were  now  obliged  to  add  febrifuges, 
and  endeavoured  to  induce  perspiration,  but  in  vain. 
The  physicians  obtained  leave  of  absence  from  Canton 
for  him  ;  and  a  boat  being  expected  up  during  the  night, 
preparations  were  made  to  remove  him  next  day  to 
Macao.  How  little  did  we  anticipate  that  those  prepa- 
rations were  to  be  only  for  the  removal  of  his  earthly 
tabernacle,  while  the  spirit  was  to  return  to  God  who 
gave  it !  But  I  now  bless  our  heavenly  Father  that 
such  was  his  holy  will.  Till  to-day,  no  boat  can  have 
reached  Canton  fit  for  him,  in  a  state  of  such  perfect 
weakness,  to  have  been  removed  in ;  and  the  weather 
has  been  such,  that  whether  in  Canton,  or  in  a  boat, 
or  even  in  a  ship,  his  sufierings,  had  he  yet  lived, 
would  have  been  extreme — such  as  can  be  but  partially 
conceived  even  by  those  who  witnessed  his  extreme 
pain  and  restlessness  during  the  whole  of  Friday. 
Truly  the  Lord  is  gracious ; — He  forsaketh  not  his 
own  whom  he  has  chosen :  but  he  removeth  them 
from  future  evil,  which  is  seen,  only  by  his  all-seeing 
eye.  We  cannot,  whatever  our  grief  for  his  irrepa- 
rable loss,  wish  him  back  to  such  a  scene  of  sorrow 
and  woe. 

"On  Friday  evening,  Mr.  Jardine joined  his  advice 


)o4.J  DO.    HOHBISUM  S   LAST   ILLNESS.  SOJ 

to  that  of  the  other  physicians.  Our  beloved  sufferer 
had  received  ease  llie  night  before  from  the  use  of  an 
opiate,  and  requeated  the  saine  mode  of  reUef.  But 
the  fever  of  hia  frame  was  such  that  they  dare  not 
give  it  to  him,  without  first  taking  from  hhn  some 
blood.  He  submitted — not  without  reluctance.  They 
bled  him,  but,  alas !  it  was  too  late.  After  the  arm 
had  beeu  tied  up,  and  the  bleeding  stopped,  he  began 
rapidly  to  sink,  and  refused  the  opiate.  All  pain  ap- 
peared now  to  have  left  him.  He  was  still  able,  how- 
ever, to  move  from  his  bed,  and  was  with  difficulty 
kept  quiet.  I  had  gone  out  to  obtain  speedily  some 
medicine.  When  I  returned,  his  cheek  was  pale,  and 
his  eye  glistened.  Hia  feet  were  cold.  By  artificial 
means  we  endeavoured  to  restore  circulation  of  the 
blood.  All  our  efforts  were,  alaa!  in  vain.  He 
ceased  to  speak  or  to  struggle  for  about  twenty 
minutes ;  and  about  ten  o'clock  lie  closed  his  eyes 
and  slept.  The  next  moment,  we  cannot  doubt,  his 
liberated  spirit  was  before  his  God,  clothed  in  the  robes 
of  Christ's  righteousness,  and  arrayed  in  the  garments 
of  salvation.  That  moment  so  joyful  to  him!  Oh! 
how  full  of  pain  and  grief  to  us!  But  we  loved 
him,  and  rejoice  that  he  has  gone  unto  his  Father. 
We  comfort  ourselves  with  the  hope  of  meeting  him 
again  in  that  house  of  many  mansions,  whither  Christ 
we  trust  has  gone  before  to  prepare  a  place  for 
us,  as  he  has  already  done  for  our  loved  lost  one — 
not  lost,  but  gone  before.  This,  I  know,  is  my  dear 
mother's  hope  and  trust ;  may  it  be  also  the  hope  of 
my  beloved  sister.  May  those  of  the  dear  children, 
who  can  know  something  of  their  loss,  be  also  com* 
forted  by  this  christian  hope !  And  may  we  all  be 
led  to  walk  earnestly  and  stedfastly  in  his  footsteps  I 


536  PARTICULARS   OF  [1834 

The  God  of  glory,  whose  he  was,  and  whom  he  served, 
has  promised  that  he  will  be  a  Husband  to  the  widow, 
and  a  Father  to  the  fatherless.  How  great  then  is 
our  consolation ! 

"  I  will  not,  my  beloved  mother,  pain  your  mind 
with  every  mournful  particular. — On  Saturday  even- 
ing, I  embarked  with  the  precious  remains,  to  convey 
them  to  Macao,  and  deposit  them  beside  the  grave  of 
her  who  gave  me  birth.     It  is  enough  to  tell  you,  my 
dear  mother,  that  every  precaution  necessary  for  the 
delay  of  two  or  three  days'  passage  was  taken.     We 
are  still  on  the  passage.    Sir  Qeorge  Robinson,  Stevens, 
and  Williams  accompany  me.     I  thank  my  Qod  for 
the  kind  attentions  I  have  received,  and  for  the  respect 
that  has  been  shown  for  the  dear,  dear  deceased.    Oh ! 
that  those  who  have  outwardly  done  what  they  could 
to  manifest  respect  and  Sjrmpathy,  may  learn  to  walk 
in  the  ways  of  righteousness  in  which  he  has  walked, 
and  to  which  he  has  so  ofUsn  called  their  attention. 
To-night,  we  hope  to  reach  Macao.     To-morrow  even- 
ing the  narrow  house  will  receive  his  mortal  remains. 
It  is  trying  to  be  engaged  in  such  a  melancholy  duty. 
It  is  more  trying  to  describe  it  to  my  mother.     It  will 
be  very,  very  trying  for  her  to  read  it ;  but  our  God 
will  give  you  strength  equal  to  your  day.     And  oh ! 
my  dear  mother,  let  your  heart  be  again  comforted  with 
the  recollection  that  though  after  the  skin  worms  de- 
stroy his  body,  yet  in  his  flesh  shall  he  see  God  ;  whom 
he  shall  see  for  himself  and  not  another.     As  in  Adam 
all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive.     It 
is  sown  in  corruption,  it  is  raised   in  incorruption : 
it  is  sown  in  dishonour ;  it  is  raised  in  glory :  it  is  sown 
in  weakness  ;  it  is  raised  in  power  :  it  is  sown  a  natu- 
ral body ;  it  is  raised  a  spiritual  body.      Flesh  and 


1834.]  Dit.  Morrison's  last  illkess.  537 

blood  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  neither  doth 
corruption  inherit  iucorruption.  The  dead  shall  be 
raised  incorruptible,  and  we  shall  be  changed.  For 
the  corruptible  must  put  on  incorruption,  andthismor- 
tal  shall  put  on  immortality.  Tlien  shall  be  brought 
to  pass  the  aaying  that  is  written  ;  death  is  swallowed 
up  in  victory.  Oh  death,  where  is  thy  sting!  Oh 
grave,  where  is  thy  victory  !  Thanks  be  to  God  who 
giveth  UB  the  victory  tlirough  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
And  what  can  he  added  unto  the  word  of  the  living 
God.  There,  there  is  infinite  joy  and  comfort  in  be- 
lieving. It  is  not  only  strong  hope,  but  perfect  assu- 
rance of  his  everlasting  blessedness  that  we  now  pos- 
sess. <  Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous,  and  let 
my  last  end  be  like  his.'  " 

The  above  recital,  afflictive  indeed,  and  full  of  woe 
to  those  for  whom  it  was  intended,  affords  a  strong 
confirmation  of  the  truth  of  Holy  Scripture,  which 
says,  "  Mark  the  perfect  man,  and  behold  the  upright : 
for  the  end  of  that  man  is  peace."  If  the  "  trangporta 
of  victory  were  not  manifested,"  it  must  be  remem- 
bered, that  the  last  enemy,  though  disarmed  of  his 
Hting,  was  still  to  be  encountered  ;  nor  would  the  lan- 
guage of  confidence,  at  any  time,  have  been  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  spirit  of  deep  humility,  which  the 
subject  of  this  narrative  cherished,  respecting  his  own 
spiritual  attainments ;  or  with  the  solemnity  of  spirit, 
with  which  he  was  accustomed  to  realize  the  period, 
when  he  should  have  to  appear  before  the  judgment- 
seat  of  Christ,  to  render  an  account  of  his  work. 
But  those  who  were  intimately  acquainted  with  his 
inmost  thoughts  and  feelings,  never  heard  him  utter 
.  a  doubt  or  fear,  as  to  his  own  personal  interest  in  the 
covenant  of   grace-     He    even    rejoiced  in  the  full 


538  DR.    MORRISON  8   LAST   ILLNESS.  {^1834. 

assurance  of  hope^  through  the  merits  of  his  Saviour ; 
and  in  near  prospect  of  all  that  is  most  appalling  to 
human  nature^  his  mind  was  not  only  kept  in  peace, 
but  was  cheered  with  the  anticipation  of  his  heavenly 
inheritance.  This  will  appear  from  some  further  par- 
ticulars respecting  that  closing  scene,  which  were 
transmitted  by  one  who  was  privileged  to  behold  his 
exemplary  life,  and  to  join  in  his  latest  devotions  on 
earth. 

FROM  THE  REV.  EDWIN  STEVENS. 

«'  Canton,  August  20th,  1834« 

*^  My  Dear  Mrs.  Morrison, 
"  Yourself  and  your  lovely  family  had  very  often 
been  in  my  thoughts  during  the  past  months  of  your 
absence,  before  the  late  overwhelming  event,  which 
has  made  you  chief  mourner.     We  often  used  to  pray 
that  the  gracious  Lord  would  take  care  of  you,  and 
bless  you  and  your's,  before  we  knew  how  much  you 
would  need  his  blessing  and  consolation.     And  now, 
on  the  removal  of  dear  Dr.  Morrison  from  suffering, 
permit  me,  as  a  friend,  to  sympathize  in  your  sor- 
rows, and  weep  with  those  that   weep.     He  was  a 
man  beloved  of  God,  and  beloved  of  good  men ;  and 
greatly  honoured  in  the  divine   providence  in  this 
world.     You  looked  forward,    Madam,    to    meeting 
again  with  your  dearest  earthly  friend,  clothed  with 
the  garments  of  sorrow  and  suffering — the  trials  and 
weakness  of  humanity :  but  God  has  graciously  per- 
mitted you  to  look  only  to  a  happier  meeting,  where 
the  habiliments  of  woe  are  seen  no  more ;  where  the 
faithful  servant  has  met  his  gracious  Master,  and  the 
Missionary  his  Lord.    His  works  will  now  keep  follow- 
ing him,  till  all  China  shall  be  offered  up  unto  God. 


1834.) 


CONCLUDING    REMARKS. 


539 


"  Our  departed  friend  tell  suddenly  from  our  sight. 
In  the  afternoon  of  his  death  I  was  with  him  some- 
time ;  and  though  weak,  he  could  walk  into  another 
room,  talk  feebly,  and  unite  in  supplicating  the  divine 
mercy.  He  said,  that  he  thought  his  life  in  danger — 
but  I  did  not,  and  I  think  he  did  not,  anticipate  bo 
speedy  a  change.  I  sat  down  by  him,  and  he  repeated 
many  passages  of  Scripture,  which  he  revolved  in  his 
mind  continually, — "  I  will  never  leave  thee,  nor  for- 
sake thee." — "  We  have  a  house  not  made  with  hands, 
eternal  in  the  heavens  ;"  and  such  like.  He  then  prayed 
aloud  for  all  of  us,  if  he  should  be  taken  away  ;  that 
"  God  would  be  merciful  to  Eliza  and  the  dear  children, 
and  bless  them  mth  his  protection,  and  guardian  care." 
He  prayed  that  the  Lord  would  sustain  him,  and 
forsake  him  not  now  in  his  feebleness.  He  prayed  for 
the  Chinese  Mission, — that  grace  and  peace  might  rest 
on  all  the  labourers.  And  having  said  these  things 
he  lay  down  to  rest.  He  was  to  have  a  sick  certi- 
ficate, and  I  was  going  with  him  to  Macao ;  but  how 
affecting !  that  night  he  was  released  from  sickness  and 
suffering,  and  we  went  with  him  to  Macao  indeed ; 
but  it  was  only  his  dead  body  that  went,  for  God  had 
taken  the  spirit. 

"  We  buried  him  beside  hia  former  wife  ;  there,  will 
the  Xiord's  beloved  sleep  till  the  day  of  resurrection. 
Dear  John  R.  was  with  us,  and  felt  tlie  supporting 
hand  of  his  father's  God  in  all  these  trying  scenes. 
Sad  as  the  first  shock  of  the  news  will  be  to  you,  his 
partner,  and  his  dear  children,  yet,  I  trust,  the 
same  gracious  hand  will  protect  and  console  you.  It 
is  rather  a  matter  of  joy  than  otherwise  to  us,  that 
you  were  all  spared  the  pain  of  being  eye-witnesses, 
and  then  of  crossing  the  ocean,  with  the  loss  pressing 
heavily  on  your  minds. 


540  INTERMENT.  [1834. 

<<  He  had  fiuished  his  work,  and  had  well  done  it ; 
and  the  Lord  would  no  longer  withhold  his  infinite 
reward  from  the  servant  worn  out  in  his  service.  Oh ! 
may  our  end  be  alike  peaceful,  and  our  reward  equally 
sure.  I  rejoice  for  him,  but  mourn  for  you,  and  for 
ourselves :  for  if  he  was  a  husband  and  father  to  his  fa- 
mily, so  was  he  truly  to  this  Mission.  Be  consoled 
then,  dear  friend,  by  the  remembrance  of  what  he  was ; 
be  cheered  by  the  assurance  of  what  he  i» ;  and  be 
joyful  in  the  hope  of  what  you  both  will  be."  *     * 

With  his  characteristic  humility.  Dr.  Morrison  re- 
marked, that  he  had  no  right  to  expect  a  ^^  pompous 
funeral  f  the  circumstances  of  the  place  did  not  in- 
deed admit  of  pomp  or  parade ;  but  no  testimony  of 
sincere  respect,  that  it  was  possible  to  show,  was 
withheld  on  that  deeply-lamented  occasion.  His  re- 
mains were  attended,  from  his  house,  to  the  place 
of  embarkation,  by  Lord  Napier,  and  all  the  Euro- 
peans, Americans,  and  Asiatic  British  subjects,  then 
in  Canton;  and  accompanied  to  Macao,  by  Sir 
George  B.  Robinson,  Bart.,  one  of  H.  M.*s  super- 
intendents, the  Rev.  £.  Stevens,  and  another  Ame- 
rican gentleman ;  there,  they  were  received  with  de- 
monstrations of  real  sorrow,  and  followed  to  the 
place  of  interment — ^which,  on  a  former  occasion,  had 
been  obtained  out  of  respect  to  himself — ^by  all  the 
foreign  gentlemen  of  the  settlement. 

The  service  of  the  Episcopal  Church  was  performed 
on  the  occasion  by  the  Rev.  Edwin  Stevens,  Seamens" 
Chaplain  in  the  port  of  Canton. 

The  spot  consecrated  by  his  honoured  remains,  is  en- 
closed without  the  city  walls.  The  sketch  of  the  tomb, 
by  Chinnery,  given  at  the  commencement  of  the  vo- 
lume, bears  the  following  inscription : — 


«41 


Aatrtti  to  till  fSLtmorv  at 
ROBERT   MORRISON,   D.D., 

The  first  ProteBtnnt  Mkeionaiy  to 

CHINA: 

Where, — after  a  lenice  of  Twenty -leTcn  je»n, 

Cheerfnilj  spent  in  extending  the  kingdom  of  the  bictaed  Redeemer, 

daring  whicli  period  he  coiiipilc>d  ind  publUbed 

A  DICTIONARY  OF  THE  CHINESE  LANGUAGE; 

Founded  the  Anglo- Chineie  CoUece  at  Malacca  ; 

And,  for  aeveral  yeara  laboured  olone  on  a  Chinese  TCnlon  of 

THE  HOLY  SCRIPTURES, 

Which  he  ma  ipared  to  aee  completed,  and  widely  circnlsted 

among  thoie  for  whom  it  wu  degtined, — 

He  iweelly  alept  ia  Jeiua. 

He  waa  bom  at  Morpelb,  Januirj'  .^ih.  1782  ; 

Waa  sent  to  China,  by  the  London  Mimioniry  Society,  ia  1807  i 

Waa  lot  twenty-fiTO  yeara  Chineie  Interpreter,  In  the  employ  of 

the  Eiil  India  Company  ; 

And  died  at  Canton,  Angmt  I  at.  1934. 

BIcMcd  are  the  dead  that  die  in  the  Lord,  from  heaceforth  ; 

Yea,  eaith  the  Spirit ;' 

that  they  may  rot  from  their  labonra  j 

and  their  workg  do  fallow  them. 


TkefoUoicmg  Epitaph  mag  composed  by  a  FHtnd  for  a  prioale  TabM. 

M.H. 

ROBEETI  MORRISON,  D.D. 

AC  EHRIHO  AD  HA0N08  LAB0RE8  8UBBUND03 

IMOENIO  PRADITI  -. 

QCI/LIHOVM  aiNIC£  TItBBACBUH. 

IN0EN8  OPUS, 

DECEM  POST  ANNOS  COMPLBVIT, 

MUBIKNSaUBRELIQUlT. 

FATKOMS  UONOltBM,  PATRI>G  DECDB, 

OBMTI  HUMANE  LDCRUH, 

VBRSIONEM   NECMON   SANCTORUM  SCHlFTORtTU, 

ADJDVANTE  OULIELMO  MILNB.  D.D. 

IN  UeUH  SINBNSiUM  PERFECIT. 

ANNOS  CIBCITER  UI  VIXET,— MORTBH  OBIIT 

DIB  PRIMO  MENStS  AUOUSTI, 

A.D.  HDCCCXXXIV, 


542  TESTIMONIES   OF    RESPECT.  [1834. 

The  announcement  of  Dr.  Morrison's  decease  was 
received,  not  only  in  his  own  country,  but  throughout 
every  part  of  the  world,  with  expressions  of  deep 
concern,  which  showed  the  high  estimation  in  which 
his  character  was  held.  The  religious  communities 
with  which  he  stood  most  immediately  connected,  ex- 
pressed those  sentiments,  in  the  minutes  of  their  pro- 
ceedings. The  London  Missionary  Society  especisJly, 
testified  their  regard  for  his  memory,  and  their  sense 
of  his  loss,  by  appointing  a  public  service,  commemo- 
rative of  that  event;  when  a  funeral  sermon  was 
preached  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Fletcher,  of  Stepney,  to  a 
crowded  and  deeply-afiected  audience.  Nor  would 
the  writer  leave  unacknowledged,  the  very  numerous 
instances  in  which  individual  respect  and  sympathy 
were  manifested  on  this  afflictive  occasion,  both  in 
this  and  other  countries ;  nor  the  support  which  was 
afforded  .to  her  mind,  by  the  assurance  that  thousands 
of  the  people  of  God,  were  bearing  her  in  remembrance 
at  a  throne  of  grace. 

Neither  would  it  be  proper  to  leave  unnoticed  here, 
the  prompt  and  suitable  tribute,  which  the  personal 
friends  of  Dr.  Morrison,  in  China,  have  erected  to  his 
memory,  by  the  formation  of  an  institution  for  the  pur- 
pose of  aiding  the  work  which  he  commenced,  and 
which  is  truly  characteristic  of  the  object  to  which  he 
devoted  his  life — "  A  testimonial  more  enduring  than 
marble  or  brass,  entitled,  *The  Morrison  Education 
Society.' "  It  was  commenced  with  a  liberal  subscrip- 
tion of  nearly  £2000.,  and  has  been  in  operation  since 
the  beginning  of  1835. 

Although  the  writer  would  deprecate  any  thing  like 
eulogium,  still,  she  feels  dissatisfied,  that  she  has 
been  obliged  to  close  this  narrative,  without  doing  jus- 
tice to  her  own  feelings,  by  enumerating  some,  of  the 


1834.]  FOR  DR.  Morrison's  memory.  543 

many  excellencies,  which  in  social,  and  domestic  life, 
adorned  the  character  which  she  undertook  to  deline- 
ate ;  and  which  were  so  eminently  calculated  to  ensure 
the  love  and  confidence,  as  well  as  respect,  of  all  who 
came  within  their  influence.  She  can  therefore  only 
pray  that  those  who  were  privileged  to  witness  his 
bright  example,  and  those  who  read  this  imperfect  re- 
cord of  his  virtues,  may  be  led  to  imitate  him,  as  he 
imitated  Christ. 


THE   END. 


p.   p.  THUMf,  PKIHTBB,   IS,  WAKWICK  fQUAKB. 


I     I 


I  i 

I 

I 


I    ( 


i 


»i 


APPENDIX. 


A  GENERAL  SCHEME   OF  THE  ULTRA-GANGES 

MISSIONARY  UNION. 

FUNDA.MRNTA.L   PRINCIPLR. 

The  fundamental  principle  of  the  Union  ib,  an  agreement  in  the  faith  of 
those  doctrines  contained  in  the  Confession  of  Faith,  and  the  Larger  and 
Shorter  Catechisms,  agreed  upon  by  the  Assembly  of  Divines  at  West- 
minster. 

FIR8T — THB  OBJECTS  OF  THB  UNION. 

1.  To  cultivate  mutual  fellowship. 

Intercommunication  of  graces,  knowledge,  and  gifts. 

2.  To  afford  mutual  assistance. 

In  cases  of  sickness,  poverty,  danger,  and  calamity,  reproach,  per- 
secution. 

3.  To  give  our  mutual  testimony  against  errors  in  doctrine  or  worship 

which  may  creep  in. 

4.  To  remove  scandals. 

5.  To  decide  in  cases  of  difficulty  that  may  occur,  either  among  the 

Heathen,  or  among  the  Members  of  the  Union  themselves. 

6.  To  organize  and  support  a  school  system. 

To  collect  information  on  the  state  of  education.  To  establish 
schools  extensively.  To  improve  the  plan  of  education.  To  fur- 
nish proper  elementary  books.  To  support  them  by  a  general 
fund.    To  raise  up  teachers. 

7.  To  establish  and  support  a  general  seminary. 

For  the  instruction  of  natives  of  good  parts.    For  the  education  of 
our  own  children. 

8.  To  manage  the  widows'  fund. 

To  keep  its  accounts.  To  use  means  for  its  increase.  To  deter- 
mine the  times  and  extent  of  supplies  to  be  given. 

9.  To  carry  on  a  periodical  work. 

To  furnish  it  with  matter.  To  render  it  worthy  of  perusal  to  the 
reader,  and  useful  to  its  objects.  To  interest  ourselves  in  its  dis- 
persion. 

10.  To  promote  general  knowledge. 

1 1 .  To  carry  into  effect  the  pious  views  of  the  various  Societies  which 

send  or  assist  us,  viz.  the  Missionary,  Bible,  and  Tract  Societies. 

Vol.  il  a 


2  APPENDIX.  [1819. 

SECONDLY — THR  POWBR  OF  THE  UNION. 

I.  Negatively. 

1 .  Not  to  matters  of  private  judgment,  which  affect  not  the  funda- 

mental principle. 

2.  Not  to  private  property. 

3.  Not  to  family  arrangements. 

4.  Not  to  the  detail  of  business  in  individual  Missions. 

5.  Not  to  modes  of  worship. 

6.  Not  to  interfere  with  the  Missionary  Society's  arrangements. 

II.  Positively. 

1.  To  advise, 
a.  To  reprove. 

3.  To  exclude  from  fellowship  and  privileges  those  who  mfringe  the 

rules  of  the  body. 

4.  To  withdraw  or  afford  its  support. 

5.  To  declare  its  opinion  by  a  public  and  joint  act. 

THIRDLY — REASONS  FOR  THE  UNION. 

I.  The  letter  and  spirit  of  Scripture. 

II.  Our  great  distance  from  Europe. 

Long  time  requisite  to  communicate  with  home.  Many  uncertainties 
attending  letters.  Supplies  sometimes  precarious,  as  in  cases  of 
war,  &c. 

III.  The  general  unhealthiness  of  the  dimate. 

Frequent  changes  and  voyages  needful.  Supplies  of  suitable  pro- 
visions, medicines,  materials  for  use  in  the  Mission,  &c.,  some- 
times procurable  in  one  place  on  easier  terms  than  in  another. 

IV.  To  give  effect  to  the  objects  of  our  Mission. 

Combined  talent,  advice,  and  influence.  Isolated  effort  effects  little. 
Unpbilosophical  and  absurd  to  suppose  that  it  can  accomplish 
great  things. 

V.  To  insure  the  permanency  of  the  good  work,  by  sending  labourers 

from  one  station  to  another,  in  cases  of  difficulty. 
We  may  be  laid  by  through  sickness.  Some  may  be  obliged  to 
remove  for  a  time.  Some  may  give  up  the  work.  Some  may 
turn  out  ill.  Some  will  soon  die.  Things  have  not  an  inherent  im- 
petus to  carry  them  on.  The  best  regulated  missions  suffer  by 
an  intermission  of  labour.  Without  persons  to  carry  on  the  work, 
beginnings  are  lost,  great  objects  crushed  in  the  bud. 

VI.  We  are  all  sent  out  by  the  same  Society. 

Educated  for  the  same  purposes.  Supported  by  the  same  means. 
The  same  people  feel  a  peculiar  interest  in  us. 

VII.  We  are  all  nearly  of  the  same  sentiments. 

In  doctrine,  worship,  and  about  the  means  of  propagating  Chris- 
tianity. 

VIII.  We  are  peculiarly  situated. 

No  body  of  Missionaries  equal  in  number  on  this  side  of  India. 
We  are  surrounded  by  powerful  communities,  and  it  may»  in 


18  ly.] 


course  of  time,  bappea  that  from  jealousy  or  otticr  motive*,  our 
conduct  will  be  acrulioized,  our  Bchemes  Bystemalicblly  under- 
mined, our  character  traduced,  our  expuUioo  or  ruin  attempted. 


I.  to  refcord  to  family  comfort. 

Interchange  of  friendship.  Suppliei  of  thinit^  cheap  in  one  place, 
and  dear  in  another.     Friendly  visits  for  health.     Our  children. 

II.  In  regard  to  aucceag  in  our  work. 

A  spirit  of  prayer  and  Chrialian  love  cherished.  Mutual  encou- 
ragement by  communication  of  each  other's  trials  and  labours. 
Mutual  advice.  Zeal  would  lie  quickened.  The  kingdom  of 
Satan  among  the  heathen  would  be  more  systematically  beset. 

III.  In  regard  to  converts,  or  candidates  for  ChriBtian  profession. 

llie  people  in  these  parts  trade  much.  New  converts  could  be  recora- 
mended  to  the  care  and  instruction  of  brethren  at  diAerent  |)orts. 
Otherwise  impressions  are  lont  forwantof  conslJint  means,  or  by 
long  intervals  of  instruction.  Converts  would  learn  the  true 
nature  of  Chrisliauity  from  its  effects. 

IV.  Our  system  would  in  course  of  time  acquire  strength,  magnitude,  and 

exleniiive  usefulness,  by  as  close  an  identity  of  senticneot  and  uni- 
formity of  plan,  as  may  be  consistent  with  perfect  freedom  of 
private  judgment. 

V.  Advantage  of  the  press  for  printing  tracts  and  boohs.   All  the  stations 

may  be  supplied. 

riPTULy — MMUHLLAMBOI^S  UKMARKS. 

t.  There  is  no  example  on  record  of  great  and  lasting  ^ood  being 

efTected  by  isolated  efforts. 
■1.  Where  union  and  co-operation  are  considered  objects  of  importance, 

some  non-essentials  in  opinion  must  either  be  aacriUced  or  agreed  to 

be  laid  aside.     Men  do  not  all  think  alike. 

3.  A  union  formed  on  broad  principles,  and  regulated  by  a  good  plan, 

would  prove  a  much  more  powerful  auxiliary  to  the  churches  at 
home,  than  the  best  directed  individual  exertions  could. 

4.  It  may  expect  tg  meet  opposition  at  Hrst.  Some  see  not  the  utility  uf 

combined  exertion  so  fully  an  they  ought,  some  fear  that  there  may 
he  secret  designs  lying  in  ambush  for  their  liberty. 
b.  'File  thing  seems  of  great  importance,  almost  essential  to  the  well- 
being  of  our  Mission.  Time,  bodily  weakness,  and  the  speedy 
approach  of  death,  leave  no  room  for  long  hesitation  on  a  subject 
which  involves  so  great  consequences. 

LASTLY— PHOPOftlTlONS. 

I  I.  That  the  inexpediency  of  attempting  to  form  parties  among  Christian 
people  who  have  stated  pastors,  be  duly  cuniidemi. 

[  II.  That  the  importance  of  promoting  general  knowledge  and  civilisation, 
in  as  far  as  practicable,  be  recognised, 

a  1 


APPENDIX.  [1819. 

aUBRIfeS. 

1.  As  the  expense  of  living  in  certain^  places  is  much  greater  than  in 

others,  would  it  not  be  advisable  to  adopt  means  of  obtaining  the 
Missionary  Society's  sanction  for  the  Union  to  fix  these? 

2.  Suppose  a  Missionary  who  has  subscribed  to  the  widow's  fund  and 

joined  the  Union,  afterwards  turns  out  ill,  would  his  family  in  that 
case  be  still  entitled  to  the  privilege  of  the  fund? 


RULES 

OF  THE 

ULTRA-GANGES   MISSIONARY   UNION. 

I.  Name.— That  a  Union  be  formed  to  be  denominated  "The  Ultra- 

Ganges  Missionary  Union.'* 

II.  Objects.— That  the  objects  of  this  Union  be  to  cultivate  mutual 

fellowship  among  the  members ;  to  strengthen  and  perpetuate  the 
Missions  connected  with  the  Union;  and  to  promote  the  dififuaion 
of  Divine  Truth  in  Pagan  and  Mahometan  countries,  on  this  side 
the  Ganges. 

III.  Mem BBR8. — ^That  all  Missionaries  sent  out  by  the  Missionary  Society, 

usually  denominated  the  London  Missionary  Society,  to  India, 
who  approve  the  principles  of  the  Union  and  wish  to  join  it,  may 
be  admitted  as  members. 

IV.  Committee. — ^That  a  Committee,  three  of  which  shall  hold  the 

offices  of  President,  Treasurer,  and  Secretary,  be  appointed  to 
manage  the  concerns  of  the  Union  for  1819-20,  who  shall  be  Rev. 
W.  Milne,  President ;  Rev.  C.  H.  Thomsen,  Treasurer ;  Rev.  W. 
H.  Medhurst,  Secretary.    The  Committee  to  be  annually  elected. 

V.  Authority  of  the  Committee. — ^That  the  Committee  shall  be 

competent  to  act  in  all  ordinary  and  urgent  cases ;  but  all  those 
matters  which  are  so  important  as  deeply  to  involve  the  common 
interest,  and  such  as  can  be  delayed,  shall  be  referred  to  the  con- 
sideration of  the  whole  body,  and  determined  on  accordingly. 

VI.  Register. — That  a  Register  be  kept  by  the  Secretary,  into  which 

copies  of  all  the  proceedings  and  correspondence  shall  be  inserted. 

VII.  Quarterly  Statements. — That  every  member  of  the  Union  shall, 

once  in  three  months,  send  in  to  the  Secretary  for  insertion  in  the 
Register,  a  short  statement  of  the  progress  and  circumstances  of 
that  branch  of  the  Missions  to  which  he  is  attached,  as  to  labourers, 
schools,  books,  preaching,  deaths,  births,  &c. 

VIII.  Correspondence  of  the  Committee. — ^That  the  Committee 
shall  send  round  four  times  a  year  to  every  member,  or  at  least  to 
each  Mission,  a  copy  of  what  may  be  inserted  quarterly  in  the 
register. 

IX.  Committee  Meetings. — ^That  the  Committee  shall  meet  on  the 

second  Monday  of  every  month  to  transact  business. 


I 


1819.]  APPENDIX.  S 

X.  GsNERAL  MsETiNGH.— ThatthersBball bean  annual  gBneralmeetiog, 

Bt  BUch  lime  and  place  as  may  be  fixed  on,  at  which  ihere  shall  be 
one  or  iwo  public  diBcoursea  delivered  by  persons  previously  ap- 
poinled.  Those  who  cannot  attend  ihe  general  ineetinf;s  shall,  if 
posaibte,  send  delegates.  The  first  annual  meeting  to  be  held  at 
Malacca  on  the  3rd  Tuesday  of  June,  1820.  Appointed  to  preach, 
the  Rev.  W.  Milne,  Malacca;  Rev.  Thomaa  Beif^hlon,  Penang. 

XI.  Expense. — That  whatever  expense  be  incurred  in  copying  and  trans- 

mitting papers  on  Iha  buainess  of  the  Union,  in  the  passages  of 
persona  to  the  general  meetings,  &c.,  be  placed  to  account  of  the 

XII.  Rksocrces. — That  there  be  an  annual  subscription  by  every  Mission 

connected  with  the  Union,  and  a  public  collection  at  general  meet- 
ings, to  furnish  resources  for  tbe  general  expense:  and  the  defalca- 
tion shall  be  referred  to  the  Mbsionary  Society,  to  be  made  up  hy 

XIII.  iNTBRCouesE  WITH  OTHER  SOCIETIES. — That  the  Members  of 
tfa la  Union  shall  endeavour  to  cultivate  Christian  fellowship  with 
the  Members  of  all  other  Societies,  who  hold  the  fundamental 
doctrines  of  the  Reformation,  and  which  have  for  their  object 
Ihe  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  the  East. 

Agreed  to,  and  signed  at  Malacca  on  the  27th  April,  1819,  by  the  fol- 
iowiDB  persons ; — 

Rkv.  ROBERT  MORRISON.  D.D. 

—  WILLIAM  MILNE, 

—  C.  H.THOMSEN, 

—  WALTER  HENRY  MEDHURST. 

—  JOHN  SLATER. 

—  SAMUEL  MILTON, 

—  THOMAS  BEIGHTON, 

—  JOHN  INGE. 


RULES  OF  THE  FUND   FOB   WIDOWS   AND  ORPHANS 
OF  THE  ULTRA-GANGES  MISSIONS. 

I.  Name  AMD  Object.— A  Fund  for  aiding  the  Widows  and  Orphans 
of  Missionaries,  attached  to  the  Ultra-Ganges  Missions,  under  the 
patronage  of  the  Missionary  Society. 

n.  RssouBcsH. — Subscriptions  of  its  members,  which  will  in  ordinary 
cases  be  not  less  than  twelve  Spanish  dollars  annually,  with  a  pre* 
mium  of  six  doUan  on  admission;  and  contributiong  from  bene- 
volent individuals. — N.  B.  Should  any  profila  arise  from  the  Indo- 
Chinese  Gleaner,  a  moiety  is  to  be  devoted  to  this  fund. 

III.— Man AGKMK.VT.— That  this  fund  being  under  the  direction  of  the 


6  APPETn>ix.  [1819. 

Ultra-Ganges  Missionary  Union,  its  affairs  be  managed  by  the 
Committee  for  the  time  being,  but  that  important  queations  and 
alterations  be  reserved  for  the  Anniversary  Meeting  of  the  Union. 

IV.  Aid  to  bb  afforded  : — 

1.  To  widows — fifty  Spanish  dollars  annually. 

In  case  of  a  widow's  taking  a  voyage  to  her  native  country,  one 
year's  allowance  in  addition;  on  the  death  of  a  widow,  for  funeral 
expenses,  twenty-five  Spanish  dollars. 

2.  To  fatherless  children. 

From  childhood  to  ten  years  of  age,  fifteen  Spanish  dollars  an- 
nually. 

From  ten  to  twenty  years,  twenty  Spanish  dollars. 

At  the  death  of  a  child,  for  funeral  expenses,  one  year's  allowance. 

N.  B.  This  allowance  to  boys,  to  cease  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years, 
and  to  girls  at  the  age  of  twenty. 

3.  Orphans,  who  have  lost  both  parents.    They  shall  be  entitled  to 

half  as  much  more  annually  as  the  children  of  ixddows  receive. 

From  childhood  to  ten  years  of  age,  twenty-two  and  a  half  Spanish 
dollars  annually. 

From  ten  to  twenty  ditto,*thirty  ditto. 

N.  B.  Should  any  parents  die  without  appointing  guardians  for 
their  children,  the  case  shall  be  referred  to  the  Committee,  who 
shall  become  guardians  to  the  children  pro-tempore,  till  such 
time  as  suitable  arrangements  can  be  made  respecting  them. 

Education. — It  is  to  be  understood,  that  the  same  privileges  will 
be  continued  to  orphans  in  regard  to  education,  which  the 
children  of  the  other  members  enjoy. 

The  sums  above  fixed,  must  be  regulated  according  to  the  state  of 
the  fund;  if  the  fund  be  rich,  the  Committee  shall  be  empowered 
to  increase  them ;  but  if  poor,  they  cannot  be  paid  up  to  their 
full  extent,  but  must  be  curtailed  by  a  fixed  ratio.  The  sums 
to  be  paid  quarterly,  wherever  the  objects  of  it  maj  choose 
to  reside. 

V.  Trsasurbrb. — ^W.  S.  Davidson  and  Co.,  China, 

STATB  OF  THB  FUNDS  IN  1819. 

Jan. — ^To  cash  in  hand  ....        ($53     j 

June. — ^To  subscription  from  Dr.  Chalmers        .  .  50 


Dollars      703    ) 


LIST  OP   SUBSCRIBRRS 

Rev.  R.  Morrison,  D.  D. 

W.  Mihie, 

C.  H.  Thomsen, 

W.  H.  Medhurst, 

J.  Slater. 


Rev.  T.  Beighton. 

J.  Ince, 

J.  Skinner, 

W.  Fyvie. 


18  ly.] 


THOUGHTS  ON  THE  CONDUCT  OF  THE  CHINESE 
GOVERNMENT  TOWARDS  THE  HONOURABLE  COM- 
PANY'S SERVANTS  AT  CANTON. 

The  grievances  under  wbicb  ibe  persons  labour  wbo  carry  an  the 
Engtiih  Commetce  in  Cbina,  are  not  aingty  of  that  fluKTUit  kind,  tbat  tlie 
bare  mention  of  any  one  of  them  immediately  abowe  their  weigbt  and 
preasurei  they  must  be  viewed  collectively,  lliey  arise  from  a  well- 
digested  ayslem  of  oppreesion  wbicb  artfully  assumes  a  specious  ahon'  of 
reason  and  arguroenti  and  which  effects  its  purpose,  not  by  an  outrageous 
defiance  of  the  human  feeling  and  sentiment,  but  by  all  die  lies  and 
crooked  wiles  of  an  impostor.  For  instance,  they  do  not  acknowledge 
that  which  is  the  fact,  via.,  ihat  the  trade  is  a  reciprocal  eschange  of  bc- 
nt^fitSi  that  they  open  a  market  to  sell  their  commodities.  No,  for  then 
there  would  be  an  equality  in  carrying  on  the  trade,  ibera  would  be  reci- 
procal rights  betwixt  the  buyer  and  seller-  If  they  were  not  much  obliged 
to  the  buyer,  yet.  at  the  lowest  rale,  the  buyer  would  have  a  right  to  civil 
treatment  both  from  the  merchant  and  the  goyernment,  and  also  to  lie 
fully  heard  in  his  own  cause.  They  are  aware  of  these  reasonable  in- 
ferences, and  from  policy,  not  frora  vanity  alone,  they  perch  themselves 
on  the  summit  of  a  lofty  j>re' eminence,  and  from  the  celestial  empire  pro- 
tontgate  the  idea,  that  "  ihey  ate  perfectly  indifTerenl  to  the  commerce  ; 
that  they  would  rather  not  have  it;  that  from  motives  of  compassion  and 
benevolence  alone  they  permit  the  trade  i  they  are  benefactors,  and 
therefore  foreign  merchants,  I  he  recipients  of  their  bounty,  have  no  rights; 
there  are  no  reciprocal  obligations,  it  is  all  compassion  and  benevolence 
on  the  one  hand,  and  there  should  be  nothing  but  gratitude  and  submis- 
sion on  the  other."  Tbia  artful  mode  of  proceeding  runs  through  the 
whole  of  tbe  government.  They  assume  a  false  principle  in  reasoning,  or 
untruth  in  fact,  and  then  flourish  away  in  argument  to  the  astonishment 
and  complete  discomfiture  of  all  their  opponents.  They  often  make  a 
B[>ecious  appeal  to  the  reason  and  common  sense  of  those  they  address. 
Having  acquirerl  the  art  of  false  reasoning,  that  is,  reasoning  from  false 
principles  or  false  facts,  and  possessing  tbe  power  in  their  own  honils, 
they  always  prevail.  The  applicant  for  justice  is  struck  dumb.  The 
people  say  proverbially,  '■  The  mandarins  have  the  largest  mouths."  They 
carry  on  real  tyranny  and  oppression  under  tbe  semblance  of  justice  and 
equity )  and  hence  persons  in  England,  not  finding  all  sense  and  reason 
outraged  in  Chinese  documents,  judge  erroneotialy  of  the  alow,  grinding, 
galling  oppression  of  the  Chihe.se  Government.  It  were  endless  to  sUte 
bU  the  particiUar  acts  of  injustice  and  ill-usage  to  which  Englishmen  are 
subject  in  Cbina.  The  contemptuous  manner  in  which  their  persons,  their 
employers,  tlieir  country,  and  their  kmg,  are  treated  in  official  documents^ 
is  not  easily  liorue,  at  the  same  time  that  it  is  not  an  evil  easily  tangible  by 
persons  who  in  England  are  so  widely  removed  from  its  iumediftts  coo- 


8  APPENDIX.  [1819. 

tact.  To  be  styled,  to  their  face,  barbariaiu,  demons,  official  staten  of 
untruth ;  to  hear  his  Majesty's  officers  and  ships  stigmatized  with  the 
name  of  plunderers,  must  all  be  submitted  to.  In  writing  ofBcial  docu- 
ments to  the  Chinese,  they  are  not  allowed  to  call  their  employers 
Honourable,  nor  the  King  of  England  an  independent  sovereign.  The 
native  domestics  of  the  Company's  servants  are  fined  and  puniahed  for  the 
simple  act  of  serving  them ;  the  Honourable  Company's  trade  is  [inter- 
rupted, and  a  fleet  delayed  on  the  most  frivolous  pretences,  perhapa  for  a 
fee  unpaid  by  some  native  merchant,  with  which  the  English  have  not  the 
slightest  connexion. 

These  are  some  of  the  constant,  regular,  duly  evils.  Occasional  acts  of 
injustice  of  a  more  serious  nature  are  not  unfrequent ;  as,  for  instance,  the 
imprisonment  of  a  Company's  servant  for  being  the  bearer  of  a  document 
from  the  Committee  to  the  Government ;  the  strangling  an  English  sea- 
man for  killing  a  Chinese  accidentally ;  the  detaining  a  fleet  on  account 
of  a  man  being  killed  in  an  affray,  when  it  was  impossible  to  identify  the 
guilty  person ;  the  transportation  of  two  Hong  merchants,  who  were,  by 
the  assistance  of  the  Company  and  the  previous  permission  of  the  Gorem- 
ment,  endeavouring  to  retrieve  their  circumstances ;  many  hlae  accusations 
brought  against  the  chief  on  this  account,  and  also  an  effort  made  to  drive 
him  from  the  duties  of  his  employers,  to  their  detriment,  and  his  own  per- 
sonal injury ;  hastily  refusing  provisions  to  his  Majesty's  ships,  whilst  the 
eruizers  of  the  enemies  of  England  were  received  into  their  ports  and 
plentifully  supplied  ;  an  absolute  refusal  to  receive  from  the  Committee 
official  statements  of  facts,  whilst  charges  |from  the  Chinese  Goremment 
were  issued  detrimental  to  the  trade  and  honour  of  England. 

These  are  some  of  the  grievances  of  which  there  is  reason  to  complain. 
Perhaps  a  complete  removal  of  them  is  not  to  be  expected  all  at  once. 
However,  they  may  probably  be  considerably  lessened  by  gradually  in- 
trenching on  the  Chinese  plea  of  vast  superiority.  This  would  be  to  lay 
the  axe  at  the  root  of  the  e^nl.  Might  not  the  Chief  of  the  Factory  be  in- 
vested with  the  powers  of  a  Magistrate,  or  perhaps  it  would  be  still  better 
to  appoint  a  Judge  Advocate  to  reside  at  Canton,  with  civil  authority  over 
the  English,  and  to  be  the  accredited  organ  of  intercourse  in  all  affairs 
not  purely  commercial.  The  Chinese  civil  officers  would  then  be  met  by 
an  English  officer  on  terms  of  equality. 

The  probable  utility  of  the  last  proposition  is  further  confirmed  by  the 
following  considerations. 

There  are  from  two  to  three  thousand  Englishmen,  or  persons  subject 
to  the  English  flag,  who  annually  visit  China,  and  remain  there  six  ot 
seven  months.  So  large  a  number  of  persons  have  occasional  intercourse 
with  some  of  the  worst  of  the  Chinese  community,  coUected  in  the  suburbs 
of  a  great  sea-port  town/it  is  impracticable  to  prevent  totally  the  commis- 
sion of  crimes.  That  there  will  be  occasionally  acts  of  fraud,  and  violence, 
and  murder,  is  to  be  expected.  The  Chinese  do  not  give  the  protection  of 
their  laws  to  foreigners.  Almost  annually.  Englishmen  lose  their  Uves,  or 
are  robbed,  without  commonly  any  investigation  being  made ;  or,  if  made. 


^  *■_- 


I 

I 


1819.]  APPENDIX. 

UDiverially  without  sueceBB.  The  government  rigoroualy  requires  life 
for  LCe,  when  any  of  their  own  people  are  killed,  and  thit  with  so  little 
regard  to  justice  that  they  practically  care  not  whether  he  be  an  innocent 
man  or  the  raunjerer  whose  life  they  take;  hence  the  great  difficulty  of 
resigning  an  Englishman  to  their  power.  But  Englbhroen  'sometimes 
commit  acts  of  violence  for  which  ihey  deserve  an  eqnitahle  punishment. 
However,  to  give  them  to  the  Chinese  Government,  is  not  lo  give  them 
up  to  justice,  but  to  certain  death,  whether  guilty  or  not.  To  prevent 
the  lives  of  Englishmen  being  taken  unjustly,  offenders  are  screened  when 
in  China,  and  when  brought  to  England,  they  are  not  punishable  for 
crimes  committed  under  another  government.  A  murder  committed  by 
an  English  subject  on  an  English  subject.  Is  not  noticed  by  the  Chinese 
Government,  and  is  not  puniahable  in  India  or  England.  Thus  several 
thousand  persons  .^e  left  for  a  considerable  length  of  time  n-ithout  the 
benefit  of  any  law.  Petty  frauds  are  sometimes  practised  on  Chinese 
shopmen,  to  redress  which,  they  have  no  other  means  than  waylaying 
and  cudgelling  the  oSi^nder,  in  which  ease  they  themselves  sometimes 
suffer.  Since  the  Chinese  Government  is  so  remiss  as  not  to  give  the 
protection  of  its  latvs,  and  so  unjust  that  it  is  certain  ruin  to  be  amenable 
to  them,  would  it  not  be  advisable  to  appoint  a  Judge  Advocate  to  hear 
all  causes,  and  punish  or  protect  Englishmen,  as  well  as  to  be  the  medium 
of  intercourse  in  all  affairs,  not  purely  commercial,  or  even  in  these,  if  the 
chief  ahsll  see  proper  lo  request  his  interference  f  It  is  probable  the 
Chinese  would  not  object  to  this  mode;  for  it  is  their  practice  to  give 
hack  foreign  offenders  to  the  neighbouring  states  to  be  punished  and  to 
require  their  own  people  to  he  given  Lack  to  them.  If  there  be  insuper- 
able objection  to  the  appointment  of  a  Judge  Advocate,  let  the  powers  of 
a  Magistrate  he  vested  with  the  Chief.  These  powers  for  the  punishment 
of  crimes  are  what  ^ve  a  person  high  respectability  In  the  tight  of  the 
Chinese,  and  without  these,  the  lowest  district  officer  in  China  considers 
himself  superior  to  the  Chief  Agent  of  the  English  Commerce.  The 
great  evil  of  this  fancied  superiority  is  felt  at  all  limes,  but  most  to  when 
any  negotiation  takes  place.  An  adherence  to  the  old  plan  will  perpetuate 
the  evil ;  a.  trial  of  that  now  proposed  would  he  running  no  risk,  and  might 
be  highly  beneficial.  A  permanent  Ambassador  at  Court,  the  Chinese 
will  not  accept  of.  If  a  Judge  Advocate  were  appointed,  he  could  pay  a 
triennial  visit  to  Peking  lo  offer  the  King  of  England's  congratnUtions  to 
the  Emperor,  and  from  such  frequent  opportunities  of  being  at  Court, 
would  be  a  check  on  the  Canton  Government.  The  reasonableness  of 
having  such  an  officer  for  the  prevention  and  punishment  of  criraes 
amongst  our  own  people,  would  more  easily  overcome  objections  lo  his  stay 
than  any  other  character  which  he  could  sustain.  The  Chinese,  like  all 
other  earthly  Empires,  have  contiderahle  financial  difficulties.  Tbey  have 
during  this  year  [1314)  been  put  to  many  shifts.  Rebellion  and  bad 
harvests  have  in  the  northern  jirovinces  done  them  immense  injury ; 
merchants  in  various  parts  are  in  vast  arrears  to  the  Government.  The 
husbandman  is  unable  to  pay  his  tax  in  kind,  or  even  refund  Ut  the 


10  APPENDIX.  [1822. 

Government  the  grain  which  had  been  lent  to  him  for  teed.  Govem- 
ment  has  required  contributions  from  wealthy  individoals,  haa  required 
the  higher  officers^ to  resign  their  salaries  for  the  service  of  the  State,  and 
has  reduced  the  price  of  purchased  honours  to  induce  a  crowd  of  buyers 
to  come  forward.  This  is  intended  to  show  that  they  are  not  raised  far 
above  the  usual  sources  of  revenues  ;  it  is  not  designed  to  insinuate  that 
they  would  be  ruined  by  the  loss  of  any  one  source,  or  that  they  would 
resign  their  dominion,  or  risk  it>  for  the  sake  of  European  commerce.  No» 
this  is  not  required  of  them.  All  that  is  asked  is,  that  they  would  be  justt 
and  equitable,  and  civil. 


NARRATIVE 

Of  an  affair  between  a  watering  party  qf  seamen,  from  the  TopoM,  am  J^. 
glish  frigate,  and  the  Chinese  inhabitants  of  lAn-tin  Island,  situated 
above  Macao,  in  the  passage  from  the  sea  to  the  anchorage  at  Wkampoa, 
interspersed  with  Remarks  on  the  Current  Affairs  of  Camtom,  1821-2. 
By  the  Rev,  Dr.  Morrison. 

The  island  called  Lintin,  or  more  correctly  Ling-ting,  *'  The  Destitute 
Orphan,"  is  a  conical  hill,  rising  out  of  the  bay  or  broad  passage,  which 
forms  the  entrance  of  the  river  which  leads  to  Canton :  it  is  situated 
about  eighteen  miles  from  Macao,  and  nearly  the  same  distance  from  the 
narrow  fortified  pass  called  Hoo-mun,  "  The  Tiger's  Gate ;"  or,  as  the 
Portuguese  translate  it,  'Bocca  Tigris,'  which  the  English  have  abbreviated 
to  the  word  Bogue. 

Lin- tin  was  scarcely  at  all  inhabited  till  the  year  1814,  when  Mr. 
Elphinstone,  the  chief  of  the  English  factory,  and  the  gentlemen  with 
whom  he  acted,  in  consequence  of  a  discussion  with  the  Chinese  govern- 
ment, detained  the  English  ships  of  the  season,  for  a  considerable  time, 
near  the  island  of  Lin- tin,  instead  of  permitting  them,  during  the  dis- 
cussion, to  enter  the  Bogue,  and  proceed  to  Whampoa,  or,  as  it  should  be 
written,  Hwang-poo  anchorage. 

The  ships  remaining  there  a  while,  afforded  a  good  market  to  the 
villagers  on  the  island  who  had  vegetables  or  fowls  that  they  could  dis- 
pose of;  and  from  that  time  the  population  increased.  The  persons  who 
settled  there  were  from  the  district  called  Kea-ying-chow,  on  the  borders 
between  Canton  and  Fo-keen  provinces,  which  mountainous  district  con- 
stantly sends  forth  a  race  of  poor  and  adventurous,  often  insolent  and 
quarrelsome  men,  who  settle  down  on  any  uncultivated  spot  they  can 
find,  and  call  themselves  guests  or  visitors.  Many  of  these  people  emi- 
grate to  the  various  i^ands  on  the  south ;  and  when  sailors  were  required 
for  the  English  ships,  the  persons  who  hired  themselves  were  chiefly 
natives  of  Kea-ying-chow. 

This  community  on  Lin-tin,  the  Chinese  say,  amounted  to  about 
two  thousand  persons ;  and  to  defend  themselves  against  Chineae  ban- 


1822.] 


APPENDIX. 


11 


ditti,  tiitj  bad  establisbeil  the  luega  of  all  sssembUDg,  both  men  and 
women,  anned  as  ihey  rould,  at  the  beat  of  a  gong. 

On  December  15ib,  I8il,  the  "Topaz"  frigate,  commanded  by  Captain 
Richard«on,  then  in  Canton,  sent  het  boat  on  shore  to  procure  water,  and 
for  the  men  to  scrub  their  clothes  in  the  mountain  stream.  To  prevetit 
any  dialurbance  between  the  Beamen  and  the  rillagera,  the  commanding 
officer  took  particular  care  that  the  taen  did  not  tahe  arms  with  them  in  the 
boat )  and  also  sent  an  officer  or  olficera  with  them  to  controul  their  con- 
duct. The  CblneBe.  in  consequence  of  some  previous  grudge,  almost  aa 
aoon  aa  the  men  landed,  beat  the  gong — the  tocsin  of  alarm,  and  the 
whole  population,  armed  with  inatruments  of  husbandryi  long  bamboos, 
having  knives  fastened  to  the  end,  to  be  used  as  spears  ;  with  clubs, 
Btones,  and  so  forth,  rnsbed  upon  the  sailorB,  apparently  with  the  design 
of  mairatng  or  of  murdering  them.  On  seeing  from  the  ship  the  danger 
of  the  men,  the  commanding  lieutenant  Rred  some  of  the  ship's  guns,  and 
at  the  same  time  sent  a  party  of  marines  to  rescue  bis  seamen.  But  be- 
fore he  effected  this,  fourteen  man-of-war's  men  were  wounded,  six  of 
them  severely ;  one  Chinese,  named  Hwang 'jTh-man,  was  killed,  and  live 
others  wounded ;  one  of  whom  subsequently  died  of  bis  wounds. 

The  provocation  given  by  the  seamen,  as  stated  in  the  Chinese  official 
document,  on  the  informaiiou  of  the  brother  of  the  native  who  was  killed, 
consisted  in  digging  up  some  potatoes,  and  running  off  with  two  jars  of 
spirits,  on  the  day  preceding  the  assault. 

Oq  the  19th  of  December,  Captain  Richardson  wrote  loYuen,  the 
Governor  of  Canton,  slating  the  assault  which  had  been  made  upon  his 
men  ;  and  adding,  that  whatever  injury  had  been  done  to  the  natives  was 
the  consequence  of  their  own  misconduct. 

Tfae  Governor  ordered  two  officers  to  go  to  the  spot  and  examine  into 
the  affair ;  but  they  required  that  the  wounded  seamen  shotdd  be  sent  out 
of  the  «hip  to  be  examined  by  them  on  shore.  To  this  Captain  Richardson 
would  not  assent,  nor  would  he  permit  the  Chinese  Hong  merchants  to 
accompany  the  Chinese  officers,  and  form  a  sort  of  Chinese  court  on  the 
King  of  England's  quarter  deck. 

Tills  was  reported  to  the  Governor,  and  he,  seemingly  in  a  lit  of  passion, 
issued  a  document  declaring  it  to  be  impossible  that  his  officers  should  go 
on  board  the  man-of-war  to  examine  the  wounded  men  ;  it  was  not,  he 
said,  consistent  with  the  dignity  of  government,  and  he  called  the  opposi- 
tioa  made  by  the  English  Captain  to  send  his  men  on  shore,  aa  the 
"  prancing  parade  of  an  outside  foreigner,"  which  the  Celestial  Empire 
would  not  brook ;  and  further,  he  in  plain  language  affirmed,  that  a  great 
part  of  what  the  Captain  had  said  about  bis  wounded  men  was  false. 

The  English  Captain  at  first  urged  the  propriety  of  the  Govemorsending 
an  answer  to  his  letter,  insteadof  issuing  an  order  to  the  Hong  Merchants 
about  the  subject ;  but  the  Governor  considered  this  also  as  a  part  of  that 
pride  which  should  not  be  encouraged ;  and  to  humble  this  pride  he 
decreed,  precipitately,  that  he  would  put  a  stop  to  the  English  commerce, 
which  he  was  convinced  wovtd  bring  the  galn-scbeoiing  foreigners  to  hia 


12  APPENDIX.  [1822. 

terms.  And  he  now  declared,  that  he  would  hold  the  Company's  Ckmi- 
mittee  of  Management  in  China  as  responsible  for  the  murders  committed ; 
and  he  forthwith  ordered  Mr.  Urmston,  and  the  other  members  of  the 
committee  (viz.  Mr.  Malony,  Sir  William  Fraser,  and  Mr.  Robaits)  to 
command,  or  urge  and  compel.  Captain  Richardson  to  deliver  up  the 
"  foreign  murderers/'  as  the  Chinese  phrase  is,  to  have  judgment  passed 
upon  them  and  to  forfeit  their  lives.  If  they  would  not  do  so,  he  threat- 
ened that  he  would  "  long  stop  their  trade/' 

The  Governor  of  Canton  (or  Qwang-tung)  province,  presides  also  over 
the  adjoining  province  Qwang-see,  or,  as  the  names  mean,  the  Eastern 
Qwang,  and  the  Western  Qwang ;  and  hence,  by  the  Chinese,  he  is  called 
the  Governor  of  the  two  Qwangs.  The  English  have,  heretofore,  impro- 
perly called  him  a  Viceroy.  This  verbal  error  has  led  to  misapprehension 
concerning  his  powers.  He  is  sometimes  feared  more  than  he  ought  to 
be,  and  at  other  times  more  is  expected  of  him  than  he  can  do.  He  can* 
not  originate  any  new  law  or  regulation  without  the  sanction  of  the 
emperor ;  he  must  act  according  to  precedents  and  existing  laws ;  he  has 
no  sovereign  powers,  but  in  certain  cases,  pointed  out  by  law,  he,  together 
with  the  second  officer,  called  Foo-yuen  (a  sort  of  vice-governor)^  can 
inflict  immediate  death. 

The  present  Governor,  whose  name  is  Yuen,  is  a  man  about  sixty  years 
of  age,  who  has  filled  offices  in  the  provinces  during  many  years.  He 
has  been  a  man  of  pleasure  and  of  literature ;  fond  of  poetry  and  of  editing 
books.  By  the  constitution  of  the  Tartar- Chinese  provincial  governments, 
the  several  officers  are  a  considerable  check  upon  each  other ;  but  the 
new  emperor,  Taou-kwang,  has,  by  some  mismanagement,  left  the  three 
highest  offices  in  the  province,  viz..  Governor,  Vice-Governor,  and  Com- 
missioner of  Foreign  Trade  (or  Hoppo),  in  the  hands  of  Yuen,  and  some 
of  his  documents  he  impresses  with  the  three  seals  belonging  to  these 
several  offices. 

Governor  Yuen  has  a  favourite  called  Fei,  whom  he  lately  raised  to  the 
situation  of  Provincial  Criminal  Judge.  Fei  is  a  young  man  about  thirty 
years  of  age,  proud  and  precipitate ;  and  is  emboldened  to  attempt  strong 
measures  by  the  patronage  of  the  Governor.  It  was  this  man  who,  this 
season,  inside  bolted  doors,  tried  and  condemned  Francis  Terranovia,  an 
American  seaman,  for  causing  the  death  of  a  Chinese  boat-woman. 

These  two  men,  the  Governor  and  the  Judge,  had  set  their  hearts  on 
having  the  life  of  an  Englishman,  and  were  deaf  to  the  suggestions  of 
other  officers ;  particularly  the  Poo-ching-sze,  or  Provincial  Treasurer, 
and  the  Salt  Commissioner,  who  recommended  that  as  the  affair  of  Ian- 
tin  occurred  at  a  distance  on  the  sea-coast,  it  should  be  managed  there, 
and  not  implicate  the  commerce  at  Canton.    But  Yuen  and  Fei,  by  the 
tenor  of  their  government  this  season,  have  made  it  manifest  that  their 
belief  was,  they  could  carry  any  point  with  foreigners,  if  they  did  but 
show  a  bold  spirit,  and  annoy  them  by  diminishing  their  gains.    The 
Governor,  in  his  report  to  the  Emperor  on  Francis  Terranovia's  case,  said, 
that  the  supreme  good  with  foreigners  was  trade  ;  and  hence  the  Ameri- 


1822.]  APPENDIX.  13 

cans,  Baid  be,  who  lingered  and  delsyad,  and  made  lying  pretenU.  and 
would  not  deliver  uji  the  foreign  murderer  in  obedience  to  ihe  voice  of 
authority,  resion,  snd  justice,  did  deliver  him  up  immediately,  as  soon  as 
their  trade  was  stopped. 

To  the  Govemor'a  demand  on  the  Committee  of  the  Company's  Factory, 
requiring  them  to  order  and  compel  the  naval  Captain  to  deliver  up  the 
"  foreign  murderers,"  they  replied,  that  the  Captains  of  the  KinR  of  Eng- 
land'* ships  of  war  were  not  under  their  control ;  and  that  what  His 
Excellency  required  of  them,  was  an  impossibility.  They  suggested  that 
Chinese  olScert  should  apply  directly  to  the  British  ofScer,  and  the 
respective  parties  arrange  amicably  the  affair  without  implicating  the 
commerce.  This  repreaentaUon,  however  reasonable,  did  not  suit  the 
Governor's  policy,  and  he  was  deaf  to  it ;  and  over  and  over  again  reiter- 
ated his  position,  that  the  Committee  of  Management  for  the  commerce 
must  be  answerable  for  ihe  acts  of  the  ships  of  war,  because  the  ships  of 
war  were  to  convoy  or  protect  the  commerce  ;  and  this  accountablenesa 
or  responsibility  he  evidently  extended  to  all  that  can  be  required  of  ■ 
surety  or  of  an  hostage. 

The  frigate  happened  to  run  down  to  Macao  roads  for  some  purpose, 
and  run  back  the  next  day.  The  Governor's  spiea,  being  on  the  alert, 
instantly  reported  (he  going  down  of  the  frigate,  and  the  Governor  forth- 
with issued  an  insulting  paper,  saying,  the  Captain  had  become  afraid  of 
the  crimes  he  had  committed,  and  was  sneaking  off  by  degrees :  but  if  he 
went  tLwiky  without  delivering  up  these  foreign  murderers,  the  English 
Chief  and  his  colleagues  should  be  responsible  for  all  that  had  been  done, 
and  for  the  two  lives  that  bad  been  lost. 

The  Governor,  instead  of  sending  any  officer  to  the  frigate  to  examine 
the  wounded  seamen,  and  to  hear  both  sides  of  the  question,  collected  the 
villagers  and  heard  only  their  tale;  and  Judge  Fei  sent  down  to  Lin-tin, 
and  had  the  dead  putrid  bodies  brought  up  to  Canton  in  their  covins. 

The  English,  probably  foreseeing  the  very  serious  dilemma  to  which 
they  would  be  reduced  if  his  Majesty's  Captain  should  choose  to  go  away, 
as  he  must  evenlueliy  do,  and  without  delivering  up  any  men  to  the 
Chinese,  began  to  prepare  their  ships  for  sea,  and  put  iheir  treasure  on 
board  the  "  Waterloo."  The  government  understood  the  meaning  of  ship- 
ping the  treasure,  but  allowed  it  Co  be  done  from  a  feeling  of  scorn  ;  being 
|)emiaded  that  the  trade,  and,  as  the  Chinese  speak  contemptuously,  the 
love  of  gain,  was  a  chain  that  would,  beyond  all  doubt,  bind  the  foreigners 
to  Canton.  There  is,  perhaps,  too  much  truth  in  the  charge  of  a  irade- 
loting,  gain-making  spirit  pervading  the  inhabitants  of  Christendom  ; 
and  the  English  have  friends  who  instil  into  the  Chinese  the  idea  that 
England  cannot  exist  without  the  tea-dealing  of  China ;  and  on  this  con- 
netion  the  Chinese  try  to  effect  their  every  wish  by  interrupting  commerce. 

Captain  Richardson  wrote  a  second  time  to  the  Governor,  but  the 


Governor  w 


u!dn 


open  the  seal  (ihnt  is,  he  would  not  r 


sent  it  by  the  hands  of  the  Chinese  Hong  i 
that  ibe  Hong  Merchants  might  open  it  befoi 


it),  but 
o  the  Committee, 
I,  am)  get  its  contents 


14  APPBRDIX.  [1822. 

conveyed  back  to  the  Governor  under  the  Companj't  seaL     Tliii  wBt 
designed  to  cause  the  Committee  to  say  by  acts  what  they  would  not  do 
in  words,  viz.,  that  they  could  not  authorise  a  mere  meweof^er  to  open 
the  Captain's  letter,  and  that  they  could  act  for  him.     The  letter  wm 
opened  by  the  Hong  Merchants,  but  being  in  En^i^h,  they  could  not  un- 
derstand it,  and  it  is  said  that,  subsequently,  since  the  Governor  would  not 
himself  open  it,  nor  have  it  opened  in  his  presence,  it  was  sent  back  to 
the  Captain.  The  Governor  now  became  furious,  and  said  he  would  leeeive 
no  letters  from  foreigners  but  such  as  were  Uranslated  by  the  Hong  Mer- 
chants, not  one  of  whom  can  read  any  foreign  language.    The  way  they 
translate  documents  is,  by  obtaining,  through  verbal  communication,  the 
substance  of  the  paper,  which  they  put  down  in  Chinese ;  and  whidi  does 
very  well  in  papers  which  refer  to  foreign  claims  of  certain  aumt  owing, 
or  any  other  simple  matter  of  fact,  but  which  is  a  very  imperfect  method 
when  reasoning  is  introduced ;  and  when  fidelity  in  the  style  and  manner, 
as  well  as  in  the  facts,  is  desirable.    In  the  Chinese  language,  ideas  may 
be  conveyed  either  in  the  style  of  a  superior,  or  of  an  inferior,  or  of  an 
equal ;  and  they  put  into  a  foreigner's  mouth  the  style  of  an  abject  de- 
pendant, not  merely  to  feed  their  vanity,  but  that  they  may  treat  him  as 
such.    Therefore  the  government  prefers  that  foreign  papers  should  be 
sent  in  a  foreign  language,  for  then  they  make  the  native  translator 
responsible  for  the  style  and  spirit  of  the  paper.   The  next  better  mode  of 
corresponding  with  the  government  was,  to  send  in  a  Chinese  and  a 
foreign  copy ;  but  this  enabled  the  Hong  Merchants  and  government  to 
say,  "  This  Chinese  copy  is  not  a  good  translation,  we  will  go  and  make  a 
better ;"  t.  e.,  one  more  agreeable  to  our  wishes.   On  these  accounts,  Mr. 
£lphiD8tone,  in  1814,  induced  the  local  government  to  concede  that  the 
Company's  papers,  sent  in  to  government,  should  be  in  Chinese  only,  and 
sealed.     However,  Governor  Yuen,  on  the  present  occasion,   affirmed 
officially  that  the  Hong  Merchants  alone  should  be  permitted  to  translate 
foreign  documents. 

The  Chinese  government  at  Canton  endeavours  to  keep  foreignen 
ignorant  of  the  Chinese  language,  literature,  and  laws ;  and  it  forbids 
their  access  to  its  courts  of  justice,  and  it  denominates  any  native  who 
may  give  legal  advice  to  foreigners,  or  assists  them  in  writing  petitions  or 
depositions,  a  traitor ;  which,  being  proved,  is  a  capital  crime.  Availing 
itself  of  this  ignorance  and  helplessness  in  foreigners,  the  local  govern- 
ment, in  its  intercourse  with  them,  is  in  the  habit  of  calling  every  thing 
that  it  dislikes  or  finds  inconvenient,  illegal;  and  as  truth  is  little 
regarded  by  the  government,  it  can,  by  the  addition  of  a  few  circum- 
stances, or  by  withdrawing  a  few  facts,  make  its  documentary  evidence 
and  records  at  all  times  justify  its  own  proceedings. 

Even  in  cases  where  the  life  of  a  foreigner  is  concerned,  it  can  mould 
its  documents  so  that,  under  a  bad  feeling,  every  circumstance  shall  be 
against  the  accused,  and  all  extenuating  or  justifying  circumstances  shall 
be  rei90ved. 

At  the   commencement  of  the  proceedings   concerning  the    Lin-tin 


182-2.] 


15 


I 


affiiir,  Gorernor  Yuen  SMina  t*  have  suppoted  that  ho  contil  influence  ths 
Commaiiders  of  tbe  Company's  iihips  to  iinportuite  the  Committee  uirl  the 
naral  Captain  to  deliver  up  a  man  to  be  executed «  under  Una  )iereuuion 
he  adilre«aed  a.  few  lines,  at  the  close  of  one  of  bis  official  papers,  to  the 
Commanders,  and  ordered  the  linguista  to  take  the  document  to  every 
■hip.  and  to  explain  very  perapicuoual)'  the  substance  of  it.  It  commended 
the  Captains  for  their  orderly  conduct,  and  regretted  their  being  tmpli* 
cited  by  the  misconduct  of  tbe  naval  Commander.  To  this  papec  the 
Commanders  replied,  in  a  note  to  the  Hong  Merchants,  that  they  were 
not  authorized  to  correspond  on  this  subject  with  His  Excellency. 

Subsequently,  when  it  began  to  appear  that  they  would  hare  to  leave 
the  port,  they  wrote  to  the  Governor  to  let  them  take  away  their  private 
trade.  This  request  be  refused,  and  told  them  to  apply  to  the  Chief  and  the 
naval  Commander  to  remove  the  difficulties,  adding,  that  they  were  nut 
allowed  to  annoy  him  with  any  more  petitions.  They,  however,  did 
annoy  him  with  another  one,  saying,  that  all  men  had  a  right  to  expect 
justice  of  those  who  governed  ;  that  since  the  Governor  had  allowed  the 
Company  to  ship  their  treasure,  and  had  permitted  three  ships  to  dejuirt, 
tbe  Commanders  expected  he  would  either  allow  them  to  ship  their  private 
trade,  which  had  been  bought  and  paid  for,  or  the  woidd  order  the  Hong 
Merchants  to  pay  them  their  debts,  and  would  permit  them  to  ship  their 
household  furniture  and  domestic  utensils. 

In  his  answer  to  this  he  said  he  had  been  more  indulgent  and  compai- 
■ioiute  thau  in  strict  propriety  h?  ought  to  bsve  leen  in  letting  the  three 
ships  sail ;  "  and  now,"  added  be,  "  these  foreign  merchants,  instead  of 
being  grateful,  make  one  undue  indulgence  the  pretext  for  anotberi  but 
till  the  legal  proceedings  on  tbe  case  of  homicide  are  closed,"  he  said,  "  I 
will  not  allow  the  least  possible  quantity  of  goods  to  go  either  up  or  down 
to  tbe  ships,  nor  will  I  allow  them  to  put  on  board  their  household  fumi- 

However,  on  the  very  day  on  the  evening  of  which  this  paper  was  de. 
livcred,  the  Commanders  had  already  shipped  their  furniture  and  domestic 
utensils ;  and  tbe  British  Factory  had  quitted  Canton,  and  repaired  on 
board  their  ships  at  Whampoa,  with  the  ultimate  design,  it  was  supposed, 
to  quit  China,  and  refer  this  difficult  subject  to  the  governments  of  Eng- 
land and  of  India. 

On  the  morning  of  tbe  J  1th  of  Jantiary,  tB22,  at  day-break,  boats 
armed  from  the  fleet  were  in  readiness  at  Canton  to  receive  tbe  Members 
of  the  Factory ;  and  Mr,  Urmston,  the  President  of  the  Hon.  Company's 
Factory,  in  the  presence  of  several  Captains,  hauled  down  with  his  own 
bands  the  English  flag,  unwilling  that  on  such  an  important  occasion  it 
should  he  done  by  tbe  hsnds  of  a  Chinese.  On  the  same  day,  in  the 
afternoon,  the  flag  of  the  factory  was  hoisted  on  board  the  Company's  own 
■hip  ths  ".Waterloo,"  at  SVbampoa. 

The  nut  day  being  the  13th  of  January,  the  ten  Company's  ships  at 
Whampoa  proceeded  down  the  river  to  an  anchorage,  at  a  phtce  called  by 
the  Chineae,  Haou-tun,  and  by  Euroi>eans,  tbe  Second  Bar. 


16  APPENDIX.  [1822. 

Previously  to  quitting  Canton,  the  Hong  Merchants  bef^an  to  belie?« 
that  the  Committee  of  the  Factory  were  sincere  in  their  apparent  design  of 
leanng  China ;  and  therefore  some  of  them  seemingly  exerted  themadvei 
with  the  local  government  to  effect  an  accommodation;  and,  on  the  other 
hand,  held  out  hopes  to  the  foreigners  that  all  would  soon  be  settled.  On 
the  11th,  when  these  Hong  Merchants  had  the  Governor's  order  in  their 
hands,  saying  that  he  would  not  allow  so  much  of  any  goods  '*  as  a  fibre 
of  silk,  or  the  down  of  a  plant,'*  to  be  shipped,  they  tried  to  persuade  the 
Commanders  not  to  move  any  thing,  for  they  would  soon  be  allowed  to 
move  all.  And  on  the  10th,  an  elderly  gentleman,  belonging  to  the  Hong 
Merchants,  held  out  a  promise,  that,  chiefly  by  his  efforts,  the  whole 
would  be  arranged  in  three  or  four  days ;  but  it  is  a  fact,  which  all  per- 
sons who  have  had  experience  can  attest,  that  in  such  affairs  as  are  now 
our  subject,  the  Chinese  employ  so  many  falsehoods  and  stratagems,  that 
they  cannot  be  believed,  even  when  they  happen  to  tell  the  truth.  And  in 
dealing  with  foreigners,  whom  they  use  every  endeavour  to  keep  ignorant 
of  the  language,  and  to  shut  out  from  all  sources  of  information  concern- 
ing the  acts  of  the  government,  it  is  extremely  easy  to  deceive. 

Those  who  argue,  that  every  thing  should  be  conceded  to  the  Chinese 
that  you  would  concede  to  an  European  nation,  seem  to  forget  that  China 
does  not  give  the  same  assistance  to  a  foreigner  to  obtain  justice,  that 
European  nations  give.  For  example;  a  foreigner  in  England  may  obtain 
every  possible  assistance  in  reference  to  the  language;  may  have  free 
access  to  all  the  courts  of  justice ;  and  may  employ  the  ablest  lawyers  in 
the  land  to  plead  his  cause,  and  enable  him  to  avail  himself  of  every 
extenuating  or  justifying  circumstance.  In  China,  the  reverse  of  all  these 
circumstances  is  the  case.  If  a  native  assists  in  writing  a  foreigner's 
case,  the  government  cries  out  "  treason  I"  and  it  is  not  an  unmeaning 
cry.  An  instance  is  on  record,  of  a  native  having  been  beheaded  for  the 
falsely-alleged  '*  treason  "  of  having  written  a  petition  to  government  for  a 
foreigner.  Under  the  influence  of  such  circumstances,  foreigners  are 
naturally  led  to  be  apprehensive  of  fraud  and  of  treachery;  and  to  deny  to 
Chinese  what,  under  different  circumstances,  it  would  be  reasonable  to 
comply  with. 

For  example;  ''giving  up  a  man,"  as  it  is  called,  "to  be  tried,"  what 
more  reasonable  than  to  do  so;  especially  when  assured  by  the  Hong 
Merchants,  that  the  particular  case  is  such  an  one  that  no  danger  to  the 
individual  is  to  be  apprehended  ?  With  this  plea,  and  these  professions, 
and  the  Chinese  tell  that  over  jo\'ial  cups,  the  Hong  Merchants  amused  the 
foreign  Factors  in  1784,  whilst  the  innocent  gunner  was  taken  into  the 
city  to  be  tried ;  and  in  a  few  hours  it  was  announced,  that  the  proceed- 
ings C"hab  setty,"  as  the  Chinese  express  in  broken  English)  were 
settled ;  but  how  ?  by  the  innocent  victim  being  strangled. 

So,  in  the  case  of  the  American  seaman,  Francis  Terranovia,  in  1821; 
who,  even  according  to  the  worst  charges  brought  against  him,  had  but 
committed  a  sort  of  manslaughter,  or  excusable  homicide.  It  was  held 
out  by  the  Chinese  that  the  affair  would  certainly  not  cost  him  his  life; 


18'22.]  APPENDIX.  17 

or  whatever  might  occur,  the  Emperor's  decision  on  the  case  must  first 
be  taken. 

The  American  trade  being  stopped,  Francis  was  abandoned  by  those 
who  should  have  protected  him;  and  the  Hong  Merchants  assured  they 
might  seize  him  with  impunity;  the  Chinese  official  documents  say,  he 
was  "  delivered  up."  On  his  trial,  which  was  by  a  junto  of  three  or  four 
officers.  All  Europeans  were  excluded.  The  minds  of  his  judges  were  made 
up  as  on  the  evening  of  this  day;  and  by  daybreak  on  the  morrow, 
without  informing  either  himself,  or  those  connected  with  him,  of  their 
intention  to  do  so,  he  was  strangled. 

In  China,  strangling  is  deemed  the  easiest  and  least  disgraceful  form  of 
inflicting  death,  because  it  preserves  the  body  entire-  The  victim  is 
strangled  on  an  upright  cross,  on  the  transverse  beam  of  which  his  arms 
are  stretclied  out. 

Francis  at  three  o'clock  in  the  morning  was  raised,  and  advised  to  take 
his  breakfast,  as  he  might  get  no  food  all  the  day;  he  smiled  and  said  it 
was  too  early;  but  being  urged,  he  fmally  ate.  He  was  conveyed  past  the 
cross  on  which  he  was  to  suffer  death ;  and  l)eing  a  Roman  Catholic,  he 
made  the  signs  which  are  usual  with  the  Christians  of  that  persuasion  on 
passing  a  cross.  He  was  then  hurried  through  a  great  hall,  in  presence  of 
the  Governor,  and  carried  back  to  meet  his  unexpected  fate.  It  is  said,  that 
several  hundred  troops  surrounded  the  place;  and  not  till  the  executioners 
put  their  hands  upon  him  did  he  suspect  their  intention.  He  then 
wrestled,  and  made  appeals,  to  Heaven,  and  to  his  heart,  and  called  as  if 
for  assistance  from  his  own  people,  but  he  was  abandoned  and  helpless, 
and  the  wrenched  cord,  round  his  neck,  soon  made  his  eye-balls  start 
from  their  sockets. 

^Vhilst  this  scene  was  acting,  a  manifesto  was  preparing  by  the  Gover- 
nor, to  announce,  in  the  pompous  phrase  of  the  self-named  Celestial  Em- 
pire, the  execution  of  Francis,  and  the  opening  of  the  trade.  His  Imperial 
Majesty  was  at  the  same  time  assured,  in  a  report  from  the  Governor, 
that  Francis  was  most  clearly  convicted  "  in  open  court,"  and  that  the 
Governor  "  summoned  the  foreign  Chief  to  witness  the  execution." 

January  12th. — In  the  evening  of  this  day,  the  Hong  Merchants  came  to 
the  Honoural)le  Company's  Ship  "Waterloo,"  where  the  Chief  and  Com- 
mittee were,  to  enquire  about  the  frigate's  having  gone  down  to  Macao. 
The  Chinese  were  anxious  for  departure,  because  it  would  enable  the  local 
government  to  report  to  Peking,  that  the  English  Captain  having  become 
alarmed,  on  account  of  the  crimes  he  had  committed,  had  run  away. 
However,  the  frigate  returned  again  to  Lin-tin,  and  that  procedure  could 
not  be  adopted. 

On  the  13th  of  January,  the  Governor  issued  a  paper,  in  which  he 
professed  to  be  convinced,  that  lie  had  acted  under  a  mistaken  idea ;  that, 
originally,  he  thought  the  Committee  and  the  Captain  were  combined 
but  now  since  the  Committee  had  shown  themselves  willing  to  incur  so 
great  Iokncs,  it  must  l>e  true  that  they  could  not  controul  the  Naval  Cap- 
tain ;  and  the  Governor's  tender  and  compassionate  feelings  would  not 

Vol.  II.  6 


18  APPENDIX.  [1822. 

allow  him  to  cause  such  loss  to  those  who  did  not  possess  authority  to 
comply  with  his  demands.  He  would  therefore,  in  the  mean  time,  declare 
the  trade  to  be  opened,  and  a  little  business  to  be  done;  that  the  Hopiio's 
office  might  gradually  receive  duties;  but  still,  unless  the  Committee 
would  point  out  to  him  how  the  foreign  murderers  were  to  be  forthconi- 
ing,  and  delivered  uj)  for  trial  and  punishment,  the  trade  must  again  be 
shut.  And  he  added,  that  the  Committee  might  return  to  the  Factories 
without  suspicion  or  anxiety.  *'  However,"  he  said, "  remember,  I  tell  you 
beforehand,  that  unless  you  plainly  assure  me  how  the  murderers  are  to 
be  delivered  up,  your  trade  will  still  be  stopped." 

To  this,  it  is  said,  the  Committee  replied,  "  The  condition  your  Excel- 
lency requires  is,  to  us,  an  impossible  one;  and  therefore,  as  the  trade 
must  still  be  stopped,  our  return  to  the  Factories  is  useless."  They  argued 
also,  briefly,  the  right  of  self-defence ;  and  the  pernicious  consequences  of 
considering  him  who  happens  to  kill  an  aggressor  on  bis  person  or  life, 
as  a  murderer ;  and  this  opinion  was  agreed  on  the  general  ground  of  the 
law  of  Nature  ;  not  on  the  positive  law  of  any  country.  Since  the  Chinese 
will  not  allow  to  a  foreigner  any  assistance  of  natives  skilled  in  their  laws, 
the  positive  law  of  China  is  of  no  more  use  to  him,  than  the  acting 
Magistrate  is  disposed  to  allow  it  to  be.  When  the  Governor,  or  local 
Miigistrate,  has  no  check  on  his  interpretation  of  the  law,  and  can  make 
up  his  documentary  evidence  without  fear  of  contradiction,  in  any  way 
that  suits  the  bias  of  his  mind,  Chinese  law  to  the  European  foreigner 
becomes  a  dead  letter. 

Persons  who  have  lived  a  good  many  years  in  China,  and  have  had 
occasion  to  know  much  of  the  proceedings  of  their  courts,  in  reference  to 
foreigners,  can  recollect  notorious  facts  flatly  denied,  and  called  altogether 
false,  in  the  documentary  evidence  of  the  inferior  officers,  who  happened 
to  be  implicated ;  and  then  the  proceedings  conducted  on  the  convenient 
assumption,  that  their  evidence  was  true. 

There  is  a  general  feeling  in  the  natives  of  Canton  against  the  foreigners ; 
and  any  native,  either  in  the  government  or  out  of  it,  who  discovers  a 
disposition  to  see  justice  done  them,  incurs  thereby  the  odium  of  his 
fellows. 

On  the  iGth  of  January,  a  paper  was  received  from  the  Governor,  say- 
ing, that  he  did  not  chose  to  open  the  last  document  sent  in  by  the  Com- 
mittee, but  had  ordered  the  Hong  Merchants  to  open  it,  and  see  if  it  sUted 
explicitly  how  the  foreign  murderers  (as  the  men  in  the  "Topaz**  were  still 
called)  should  be  secured,  and  be  forthcoming  when  called  for.  Since 
this  was  not  stated,  the  proceedings  could  not  be  closed. 

The  Governor  therefore  sent  the  Hong  Merchants  again,  and  for  the  last 
time,  to  procure  some  statement  from  the  naval  captain,  through  the  Com. 
mittee,  declaring  how  the  murderers  were  to  be  forthcoming ;  or  perhaps 
he  meant  how  they  were  to  be  disposed  of. 

The  merchants  were  ordered  to  open,  in  behalf  of  the  Governor,  any 
document  the  Committee  might  give  them ;  and  if  it  contained  some  state- 
ment of  the  kind  just  noticed,  to  convey  it  to  him;  and  then,  if  satisfac- 


1822.]  APPENDIX.  U) 

tory,  the  trade  would  be  immediately  opened  ;  but  if  the  document 
contained  no  such  statement,  the  Hong  Merchants  were  commanded  to 
throw  it  back,  and  to  give  up  any  further  talking  or  negotiation  about  the 
matter.  The  Governor  added,  that  since  the  ships  had  been  ordered  away, 
no  port-clearances  would  be  given ;  but  if  they  chose  to  go  away,  the 
forts  would  not  fire  at  them  to  detain  them  by  force. 

The  Hong  Merchants,  on  being  questioned  as  to  what  sort  of  declara- 
tion would  satisfy  the  Governor,  agreed  to  a  simple  declaration  to  be  made 
by  the  naval  captain,  that,  as  the  affair  at  Lin-tin  was  an  important  one, 
in  which  human  life  had  been  lost,  it  would  be  stated  to  the  King  of  Kng- 
land,  and  the  parties  concerned  would  be  prosecuted  according  to  law ; 
or,  as  the  Chinese  may  be  more  strictly  rendered,  "  according  to  the  laws 
of  the  land,  be  investigated  and  managed ;"  which  pledge  would  be  fully 
redeemed  by  a  Court  of  Enquiry  appointed  by  the  Admiralty,  or  any 
other  competent  power,  to  examine  into  the  conduct  of  the  frigate's 
officers  and  men  when  at  Lin- tin. 

On  the  18th,  a  written  document,  addressed  to  the  Hong  Merchants, 
containing  the  ideas  of  the  paragraph,  was  delivered  to  them,  and  by 
them  conveyed  to  Canton. 

The  word  Hong  (Mandarin  dialect.  Hang)  in  Chinese  denotes  a  large 
factory  or  mercantile  building ;  and  the  Hong  Merchants,  in  common  use 
in  the  interior,  means  much  the  same  as  "  wholesale  merchants,"  in  con- 
tradistinction from  those  "merchants/'  as  the  Scotch  call  them,  who 
keep  only  shops.  But  the  Hong  Merchants  referred  to  in  this  paper  are 
a  licensed  company  of  wholesale  merchants,  authorized  to  deal  exclusively 
with  foreigners  of  Europe  and  America,  and  from  the  ports  of  Asia;  or 
the  foreigners  who  come  from  "  beyond  seas  *'  to  the  port  of  Canton,  and 
hence  the  proper  appellation,  Yang-hang-shang;  i.  e., 'sea  or  ocean 
wholesale  merchants.' 

This  body  of  men  has,  of  late  years,  consisted  of  from  ten  to  twelve 
persons — a  few  rich  and  many  poor ;  for,  although  they  possess  so  large 
a  monopoly,  they  have,  from  want  of  talent  for  large  concerns,  or  from 
other  causes,  not  been  prosperous.  Their  monopoly  consists  in  their 
being  the  alone  legal  dealers  with  foreigners,  and  not  in  a  joint  stock ; 
but  every  individual  Hong  Merchant  trades  on  his  capital ;  yet,  if  any 
merchant  fail,  his  debts  to  foreigners  (within  a  limited  sum)  must  be  paid 
by  the  joint  dindends  of  all  the  individuals  of  Hong.  Every  foreign 
ships  that  enters  the  port  must,  before  she  be  allowed  to  trade,  get  one  of 
these  Hong  Merchants  to  be  surety  to  government  for  whatever  concerns 
the  said  ship  ;  and  from  this  circumstance  these  men  are  sometimes  called 
Security  Merchants.  A  few  years  ago,  when  so  many  of  the  Hong  became 
poor,  and  it  was  suspected  by  government  that  they  were  under  an  im- 
proper influence  from  certain  foreigners,  two  or  three  of  the  richer 
merchants,  and  of  longer  standing,  were  formed  by  government  into  a 
committee  of  general  controul  or  direction  of  the  whole  body. 

The  local  government,  instead  of  letting  its  own  officers  come  into 
direct  intercourse  with  foreigners,  always  endeavours  to  rule  through  the 

b  2 


20  APPENDIX.  [1822. 

medium  of  the  Hong  merchants  ;  and  it  commonly  addresses  its  official 
mandates  to  the  Hong  Merchants  to  be  by  them  enjoined  on  the  foreigners. 
Its  object  is  two-fold ;  in  the  first  place,  to  give  the  executive  intercourse 
into  the  hands  of  persons  most  conversant  with  foreigners,  and  who  can- 
not claim  acta  of  prostration,  or  kneeling,  &c.,  from  foreigners,  whom,  by 
some  experiments,  they  have  found  unwilling  and  inexpert  in  such  kinds 
of  polite  education,  llie  next  design  of  the  government  in  employing 
the  Hong  Merchants  as  its  executive  ministers  is,  to  make  them  respon- 
sible for  every  occurrence,  by  which  means  it  is  enabled  to  extort  and 
domineer  more  easily  over  bold  and  unyielding,  or,  as  Chinese  judge, 
rude  and  surly  foreigners. 

These  demi-political  Mercantile  men,  the  Hong  merchants,  were,  two  Or 
three  generations  back,  chiefly  from  the  province  called  Fo-kien  ;  having 
followed  the  commerce  when  removed  from  the  Port  of  Amoy,  in  that 
province,  to  Canton.  Those  who  are  not  from  Fo-kien  are  Canton  men, 
with  the  exception  of  one  man  who  came  from  the  north  side  of  the  Rreat 
river  called  Yang-tsze-keang ;  and  who,  from  that  circumstance,  is  desig- 
nated by  the  other  merchants,  '*  the  man  from  beyond  the  river."  In 
China,  as  in  other  nations,  it  requires  a  long  time — a  series  of  several 
generations — to  remove  the  disgrace  of  low  birth ;  and  even  now,  con- 
cerning some  of  the  older  and  richer  Hongs,  it  is  often  said,  "  his  grand- 
father hawked  oranges  on  his  shoulders  about  the  streets  of  Macao ;"  or 
of  another,  "his  father  kept  a  shop  and  sold  old  locks;"  and  of  the 
junior  merchants,  some  in  their  own  lifetime  were  shopmen,  or  Linguists 
(as  the  official  interpreters  in  shipping  off  good,  are  called) ;  and  of  one  it 
is  said,  that  he  was  a  menial  servant.  There  is  one  man  who  has  some 
claim  to  family ;  and  who,  himself,  formerly  held  an  official  situation  u^ 
some  respectability  in  the  government.  However,  the  Chinese  gentleman 
has  made  a  bad  merchant ;  and  having  speedily  lost  the  property  h^ 
brought  into  the  concern,  he  is  now  virtually  bankrupt. 

Some  of  these  men,  who  were  educated  after  their  fathers  became  rich, 
had  what  would  be  called  a  hberal  education  in  China,  and  have  had 
opportunities  of  associating  with  the  official  men,  or  the  wealthy  of  their 
own  country ;  but  after  they  begin  to  act  in  their  mercantile  houses  they 
are  required  to  be  so  much  in  attendance  at  the  public  offices,  and  have 
so  many  concerns  to  attend  to,  as  the  executive  of  the  acts  of  the  govern- 
ment, in  reference  to  foreigners,  as  well  as  the  extensive  business  of  the 
Hongs  (as  their  mercantile  houses  are  called)  that  no  time  remains  to 
increase  in  knowledge. 

Others  of  them,  who  have  "  fisted  their  way  in  the  world,"  as  the 
Chinese  say,  and  have  improved  their  circumstances  in  a  pecuniary 
respect,  can  scarcely  write. 

These  Hong  Merchants  have  generally  a  tiresome  life,  partly  from  the 
official  insolence  and  tyranny  of  their  own  government,  which  scruples  not 
to  abuse  them  as  "  the  slaves  of  foreign  devils ;"  and  partly  from  their 
being  the  sureties,  not  only  of  well-educated  and  well-principled  foreign 
merchants,  but  also  of  boisterous,  and  unruly,  and  drunken  sailors,  and 


1822.]  APPENDIX.  21 

of  illicit  contraband  traders.  Hence  it  is,  that  whenever  they  get  rich 
they  abhor  the  life  of  a  Hong  Merchant ;  but  they  are  not  allowed  to  qui^ 
it,  for  the  emperor  says  that  as  they  became  Hong  Merchants  for  their 
private  good,  they  must,  when  rich,  remain  in  the  concern  for  the  public 
good. 

Thus  circumstanced,  the  Hong  Merchants  generally  endeavour  to 
screen,  in  the  midst  of  contests  between  their  own  government  and 
foreigners,  by  deceiving  both  parties.  To  the  government  they  say,  ''Tliese 
foreigners  are  such  barbarians  and  rude  brutes,  as  well  as  demons,  there 
is  no  reasoning  with  them  ;*'  and  the  foreigners  they  endeavour  to  soften 
down  by  dwelling  much  on  the  hardships  and  "  squeezings"  (vii.  extor- 
tions) to  which  their  mandarins  subject  them. 

On  the  20th  of  January,  the  Hong  Merchants  having  shown  the 
Governor  the  declaration,  that  a  judicial  inquiry  in  England  might  be 
anticipated  as  certain,  were  directed  to  say,  that  they  did  not  dare  to  show 
it  to  the  Governor  unless  the  document  containing  it  was  addressed  to  the 
Governor.  Under  the  influence  of  a  wish  to  accommodate  in  this  affair, 
a  document  was  made  out  containing  the  same  ideas  as  the  paper  of  the 
18  th  instant,  and  which  was  addressed  as  required,  and  given  to  the  Lin- 
guists to  convey  to  Canton. 

Of  the  people  called  Linguists,  there  are  in  Canton,  four  or  ^ve  ap- 
pointed by  government,  but  not  paid  by  it ;  they  are  generally  ignorant 
men,  who  possess  no  other  qualification  for  interpreting  and  translating 
than  an  ability  to  speak  the  broken  English  used  by  the  Chinese  in 
Canton.  "Fhey  cannot  read  English,  nor  always  their  own  language. 
These  four  or  five  persons  employ  under  them  a  considerable  number  of 
clerks  in-doors,  to  keep  lists  of  goods  shipped,  &c.,  and  of  talkers,  out  of 
doors,  who  attend  at  die  Factories,  and^ezplain  for  the  tide-waiters  when 
shipping  off  goods.  In  all  affairs  of  importance,  the  principal  is  required 
to  attend  in  person. 

Although  the  Government  expects  these  Linguists  to  interpret  and 
translate,  it  will  afford  them  no  encouragement  to  learn  foreign  languages ; 
but  frowns  down  every  effort,  under  the  idea  that  such  knowledge  would 
tend  to  a  traitorous  intercourse  with  foreigners.  It  is  the  same  low  prin- 
ciple that  induces  the  Chinese  to  keep  their  females  ignorant,  vis.,  lest  a 
knowledge  of  letters  should  afford  facilities  to  intrigues. 

On  the  22nd  of  January,  the  last  day  of  the  first  year  of  Taou-kwang, 
a  letter  was  received  from  the  Hong  Merchants,  saying,  they  had  laid  the 
Committee's  last  document  before  the  Governor,  but  the  close  of  the  year 
being  so  near  at  hand,  he  had  not  given  an  official  answer.  On  some  of  the 
first  days  of  the  next  [year  they  would  bring  this  answer  themselves,  and 
confer  on  the  subject. 

The  official  bearer  of  the  above-mentioned  letter  brought  a  report,  that 
his  Imperial  Majesty  had  confirmed  the  degradation  of  the  senior  Hong 
Merchant ;  which  consists  in  depriving  him  of  the  distinctive  badge  of 
his  rank. 

Ihe  reader  is  aware  that  the  Tartar-Chinese  Government  dividet  its 


22  APPENDIX.  [1822. 

subjects  into  ten  classes,  viz.,  the  mass  of  the  people,  the  plebeian  dmss, 
who  have  no  rank  in  the  state,  and  nine  other  classes  or  degreen  of  rank. 
The  Tartar  conquerors,  when  they  dictated  to  the  Chinese  the  tonsure 
and  the  long  tail,  altered  also  the  dress  of  the  people ;  especially  the  cap, 
which  is  perfectly  different  from  any  cap  worn  before  in  China.  The 
summer  and  the  winter  dress  caps  differ ;  but  they  both  agree  ha  being  of 
a  low  conical  shape,  and  having  a  round  knob  at  the  vertex,  which  knob, 
by  its  material  and  colour,  always  shows  the  rank  of  the  wearer. 

l8t.  The  first  and  second  degrees  of  rank  are  marked  by  a  red  precious 
stone,  or  coral  knob,  or  button. 

2nd.  The  third  and  fourth  degrees  of  rank  are  denoted  by  a  blue 
button. 

3rd.  The  fifth  rank  is  shown  by  a  crystal  button. 
4th.  The  sixth  and  seventh  degrees  are  shown  by  an  opaque  white,  or 
milk- coloured  button. 

5th.  llie  eighth  and  ninth  degrees  are  shown  by  a  gold,  or  gilt  button ; 
the  lowest  should  be  of  silver,  but  is  never  worn. 

These  five  colours,  or  materials,  distinguished  the  nine  classes  ;  other 
circumstances  mark  a  difference  amongst  the  same  colour ;  thus,  the  first 
rank  is  a  plain  red  coral ;  the  second  rank  is  shown  by  the  coral  being 
carved ;  the  third  rank  is  a  dark  blue ;  the  fourth  is  marked  by  being  a 
light  blue.  Sec. 

These  degrees  of  rank  are  conferred  on  the  literati,  and  on  the  officers 
of  Government,  both  civil  and  military.  Ministers  of  State,  Governors  of 
provinces,  Generals  in  the  army,  &c.,  are  of  the  first  rank. 

The  Government,  however,  not  only  gives  these  degrees  to  the  success- 
ful literary  candidates,  and  to  officers  in  the  army,  but  also  sells  them  to 
whoever  can  pay  the  requisite  fees,  and  so  makes  these  honours  a  source 
of  revenue.  As  long  as  the  honours  thus  sold  are  merely  nominal,  or 
give  only  a  few  privileges  as  to  etiquette,  the  Chinese  public  opinion  does 
not  object  to  them ;  but  the  reigning  family  has  disgraced  itself,  in 
Chinese  estimation,  by  an  actual  sale  of  office,  or  rather  eligibility  of 
office,  because]  it  thereby  departs  from  the  principle  of  the  Government ; 
which  is,  that  certain  literary  qualifications  should  constitute  the  only 
.  title  to  civil  office. 

The  Hong  Merchants  all  possess  one  or  other  of  these  honorary  buttont- 
The  senior  merchant  had  a  red  one ;  to  which,  as  he  increased  in  wealth, 
he  gradually  rose  by  purchase.  In  the  last  button  he  had  conferred  on 
him  there  was  something  more  honourable  than  direct  purchase ;  it  was 
bestowed  by  a  special  act  of  the  late  Emperor,  in  consequence  of  a  large 
subscription  to  some  exigency  of  state ;  of  this  button,  it  is  said,  the  Em- 
peror has  now  deprived  him,  till  certain  conditions  shall  be  performed, 
after  which  a  promise  is  given  that  it  will  be  restored. 

The  punishment  hereby  inflicted  on  the  senior  merchant  arose  from  the 
responsibility,  or  suretyship,  of  these  Hong  Merchants,  which  has  been 
explained  above.  A  junior  merchant  is  responsible  for  a  particular  ship 
of  which  he  voluntarily  becomes  the  surety  ;  but,  in  the  present  instance. 


1822.]  APPENDIX.  23 

government  has  chosen  to  make  the  senior  merchant  responsible  for  the 
general  introduction  of  a  contraband  commodity  in  which  he  does  not 
deal,  and  with  which  he  has  no  sort  of  concern. 

At  Macao,  and  Whampoa,  opium  has,  heretofore,  since  its  being  pro- 
hibited, been  smuggled  into  China  by  the  connivance  of  local  officers  of 
government,  some  of  whom  have  watched  the  delivery  of  every  chest,  and 
received  a  fee ;  whilst  others,  in  the  public  offices,  remote  from  the  scene 
of  smuggling,  have  received  an  annual  bribe  to  acquiesce  in  a  violation  of 
the  Imperial  orders  on  the  subject. 

In  September,  1821,  a  Chinese  inhabitant  of  Macao,  who  had  been  the 
medium  of  receiving  from  the  Portuguese,  and  paying  to  the  Chinese  of- 
ficers, the  several  bribes  usually  given,  was  seized  by  the  government  for 
hiring  bandit  to  assist  an  opponent  of  his ;  which  they  did ;  and  having 
got  the  man  in  their  power,  poured  quicksilver  into  his  ears,  to  injure  his 
head  without  killing  him;  and  having  shaved  the  short  hairs  from  the 
man's  head,  they  mixed  the  hairs  with  tea,  and  forced  him  to  drink  the 
potion. 

Tlie  wretch  who  originated  this  cruel  idea,  and  paid  the  perpetrators  of 
it,  had  long  been  the  pest  and  the  terror  of  his  neighbourhood,  by  acting 
as  a  pettifogging  lawyer,  and  bringing  gain  to  the  public  offices;  which, 
finding  him  useful,  always  screened  him  from  justice.  An  enemy,  how- 
ever, at  last,  arose  amongst  his  official  friends,  who  contrived  to  have  this 
man's  character  laid  before  the  Governor,  with  his  influence,  or  power,  in 
the  neighbourhood,  stated  in  an  exaggerated  degree;  affirming,  that  no 
police  officer  could  apprehend  him,  for  he  had  but  to  whistle,  and  hundreds 
of  men  flew  to  his  defence.  The  Governor,  alarmed  and  iritated  by  this 
declaration,  ordered  a  party  of  the  military  to  seize  him  forthwith;  and 
had  him  cast  into  the  judge's  prison.  The  pettifogging  lawyer  now 
turned  his  wrath  against  his  former  official  friends;  and  immediately  con- 
fessed that  he  had  held  the  place  of  bribe-collector ;  and  that  all  the  govern- 
ment officers  in  the  neighbourhood  received  each  so  much  per  chest,  or 
so  much  annually  (stating  the  exact  sums),  to  connive  at  the  smuggling 
of  Opium:  these  bribes  were  received  not  only  by  the  inferior  attendants 
in  public  offices,  but  by  the  sperior  Mandarins ;  and  by  military  officers 
of  the  rank  of  blue  buttons;  and  even  by  the  Admiral,  who  wore  a  red 
button.  p 

llie  Governor  at  no  period  could  have  been  ignorant  of  what  was  going 
on  in  reference  to  Opium ;  for  it  is  very  commonly  used  by  clerks,  secre- 
taries, miUtary  officers,  and  other  persons  in  his  own  establishment;  but 
the  exposition  now  laid  before  him  brought  it  more  fully  to  his  notice,  and 
risked  more  his  own  safety,  than  any  previous  occurrence :  for,  after  being 
in  the  government  of  Canton  for  several  years,  to  plead  ignorance  of  such 
mis-rule  would  not  be  accepted  as  an  excuse  at  the  Imperial  Court :  nor 
would  it  have  screened  him  from  censure,  and  perhaps  degradation,  to 
have  proceeded  immediately  to  punish  the  officers  against  whom  he  had 
received  information ;  for  they  being  under  his  controul,  he  is,  in  a  certain 
degree,  responsible  to  the  Supreme  Government  for  their  good  conduct. 


24  APPENDIX.  [1S22. 

Instead  therefore  of  punishing  those  who  weie  directly  gwlty,  he  made 
lip  his  mind  to  accuse  the  senior  Hong  Merchant,  a  timid  rich  man,  nick- 
named by  the  Chinese  "timid  young  lady,"  and  easily  asaailable;  and 
charge  him  with  a  defective  performance  of  the  duties  of  his  surety-ship, 
in  not  pointing  out  to  Government  every  foreign  ship  which  contained 
Opium.  It  was  in  vain  for  the  man  to  plead  that  he  had  never  dealt 
in  Opium,  nor  had  he  any  connexion  with  those  who  did  deal  in  it; 
nor  could  he  search  the  ships  to  ascertain  what  was  in  them;  nor 
could  he  controul  the  Government  officers  who  encouraged,  and  virtually 
protected  the  smuggling  of  Opium.  The  Governor  was  determined  to  hold 
him  responsible;  and  at  the  first  morning's  conversation  with  the  Gover- 
nor, the  Hong  Merchant  was  told,  that  a  despatch  had  already  been  sent 
off  to  the  Emperor,  recommending  his  degradation  for  the  space  of  three 
years.  If  in  that  time,  by  the  said  Hong  Merchant's  good  management, 
the  introduction  of  Opium  was  prevented,  a  request  would  be  sent  to  the 
Emperor  to  restore  him  his  button. 

I'he  button  was  immediately  unscrewed  from  the  vertex  of  the  cap ;  but 
it  is  said,  that  on  payment  of  a  large  douceur,  permission  was  given  to 
wear  it  ad  interim  till  the  pleasure  of  his  Imperial  Majesty  should  be 
known :  that  pleasure,  it  is  this  morning  said,  confirms  the  act  of  Gover- 
nor Yuen. 

The  Governor  having  disgraced  the  Hong  Merchant,  next  issued  several 
papers  throwing  all  the  odium  of  this  Opium  traffic,  not  on  Chinese  con- 
sumers, and  Chinese  smugglers,  and  a  corrupt  Chinese  magistracy  (who 
certainly  in  justice  should  have  borne  a  part  of  it),  but  on  the  foreigners, 
belonging  to  Portugal;  to  England;  and  to  America.  As  the  English 
East  India  Company  forbids  its  ships  to  import  Opium  to  China,  the 
Governor  acquitted  England  (except  some  of  her  sailors)  from  the  many 
charges  of  a  low,  disgraceful  avarice;  a  contemptible  gain-  scheming  spirit, 
which  he  brought  against  all  Opium  dealers;  who,  he  said,  carried  from 
the  Celestial  Empire,  tea  to  refresh,  and  rhubarb  to  heal  myriads  in  the 
west;  whilst  poison  only  was  given  in  return.  In  one  paper  he  tried  to 
address  their  religious  principles  of  hope  and  fear,  by  the  promise,  that  the 
gods  would  conduct  across  the  ocean  in  safety  the  fair  dealers;  whilst,  over 
the  contraband  smuggler  of  a  pernicious  poison,  the  terrors  of  the  royal 
law  on  earth,  and  the  wrath  of  the  infernal  gods  in  hades,  were  suspended. 
The  American  Captains,  the  Governor  said,  were  emboldened  to  bring 
Opium  because  they  had  no  king  to  rule^over  them. 

Although  his  Excellancy  did  not  attack  directly  his  own  oflicers  in  the 
business,  it  is  supposed  he  would  try  to  get  a  few  of  them  punished  on 
some  other  account.  This  is  a  method  often  adopted  by  the  Canton 
Government.  It  being  inconvenient  to  bring  forward  the  real  circum- 
stances of  guilt,  the  Government  endeavours  to  find  out  some  other  charge 
which  will  implicate  the  accused,  and  screen  themselves. 

The  Governor  sent  an  officer  of  superior  rank  to  watch,  as  a  spy,  the 
revenue  cutters.  This  officer  caught  some  of  them  in  the  act  of  smug- 
ghng  that  commodity  which  they  were  sent  to  seize :  and  he  attempted  to 
seize  them,  which   attempt  they  resisted,  ^and  one  or  two  men  were 


1822.]  APPENDIX.  25 

killed.  His  Excellency  was  so  much  ashamed  of  his  own  government, 
he  suppressed  the  facts  of  the  case,  and  ordered  a  prosecution  for  simple 
homicide. 

In  the  proceedings  against  Opium  ships  this  season,  the  Governor 
spoke  of  the  English  ships  and  the  country  ships  as  distinct  concerns ; 
and,  on  this  principle,  when  the  afiair  at  Lin-tin  occurred,  although  his 
official  papers  declared  that  he  "  stopped  the  whole  English  trade  at  Can- 
ton," he  still  permitted  the  country  ships  and  their  agents  to  prosecute 
their  commercial  concerns  as  usual. 

On  Friday,  the  25th,  the  Hong  Merchants  came  down  to  the  Second 
Bar,  being  the  bearers  of  a  paper  from  the  Governor,  which  rejected  the 
idea  of  Captain  Richardson's  referring  the  affair  of  Lin-tin  to  the 
Government  of  England,  and  reiterating  his  demand  or  order  to  deliver  up 
the  foreign  murderers.  This  answer  disappointed  the  hopes  which  the 
Hong  Merchants  had  fostered,  when  they  solicited  the  last  document  from 
Captain  Richardson ;  and  therefore,  on  receiving  it,  the  Committee  imme- 
diately ordered  the  ships  to  get  under  weigh,  and  pass  through  the  Bogue. 
It  is  usual  to  have  pilots  on  board  in  this  part  of  the  river;  but  the 
Governor  of  Canton  had  threatened  the  pilots  with  death  if  they  assisted 
in  taking  the  ships  through  the  Bogue.  However,  there  being  a  fine 
breeze  from  the  northward,  the  ships,  aided  by  the  excellent  directions 
afforded  by  Captain  Ross'  Charts,  passed  down  without  pilots  in  perfect 
safety :  and,  although  the  occasion  was  not  a  pleasant  one,  the  ap{)earance 
of  the  line,  formed  by  these  noble  ships,  was  majestic  and  beautiful,  con- 
sisting of. 

Repulse  Captain  John  Paterson,  Commander. 

Waterloo ....    Richard  Alsager. 

General  Harris  George  Welstead. 

Bridgewater  ...    William  Mitchell. 

Lowther  Castle     .        .        Charles  Mortlocke. 

Atlas        ....     Charles  Otway  Mayne. 

Kent  ....         Henry  Cobb. 

Kellie  Castle    .  Alexander  Lindsay. 

Charles  Grant  .     .  Hugh  Scott. 

General  Kyd    .  Alexander  Naime. 

Marquis  Camden  .        .        Thomas  Larkins. 

Scaleby  Castle  .  Captain  D.  R.  Newall,  afterwards  joined 

the  ships  at  Chuenpee. 

Windsor  Captain  Thomas  Haviside.* 

Farquharson  William  Cruickshanks.* 

His  Majesty's  Frigate  "Topaz,"  thirty-six  guns.  Captain  Charles  Rich- 
ardson, was  lying  at  Chuenpee,  when  the  Company's  ships  above  named 
proceeded  to  that  anchorage. 

The  Governor  had  promised  that  the  forts  would  not  fire;  yet,  as  that 
promise  was  not  to  be  entirely  depended  on,  the  ships  passed  down  before 

*  These  thipi  were  lying  it  Chuenpee,  hiving  been  preTiously  despatched  for  EugUnd, 
but  tiler wardi.detiined* 


2C  APPENDIX.  [1822 

s  the  forts  with  their  guns  double-shotted,  and  the  matches  lit.     As  th 

Coni|)any*8  ships  hove  in  sight  above  the  forts,  His  Majesty's  ship  "  Topaz,' 

below  the  forts,  got  under  weigh,  to  beat  up  and  assist  them  if  necessary 

About  four  p.  tn.  the  whole  fleet  was  anchored  at  Chuenpee,  or,  as  th 

words  denote,  "the  bored  nose,  or  the  nostril  orifice,"  which  name  i 

'  given  to  this  anchorage  from  a  rock  through  which  there  is  an  orifice  froo 

side  to  side. 

On  former  occasions,  as  in  1814,  it  had  been  maintained,  that  to  with 
draw  the  ships  outside  the  Bogue  would  be  final;  that  it  was  a  measor 
which  would  terminate  all  negotiation;  there  was,  therefore,  now  no  goo< 
reason  to  calculate  on  any  further  advances  from  the  Chinese. 

On  the  evening  of  the  25th,  at  Chuenpee,  the  packets  of  the  Honour 
able  Company's  ship  **  Scaleby  Castle,"  direct  from  England,  were  delivere< 
on  board  the  "  Waterloo,"  and  brought  a  great  many  private  letters,  as  wel 
as  public  intelligence,  which  interested  and  amused  the  minds  of  all  per 
sons  in  the  fleet  during  the  26th,  and  a  few  following  days.  To  them  thi 
pomp  of  the  coronation,  and  the  death  of  the  Queen,  appeared  simultaneoui 
events. 

On  the  28th  of  January,  a  letter  was  received  from  the  Hong  Merchants, 
saying,  they  had  heard  of  the  ships  having  passed  the  Bogue,  and  thai 
one  ship  was  filling  up  from  the  other  half-loaded  ships;  but  they  added, 
"  We  have  some  important  words  to  communicate  to  you,  and  therefore 
we  beg  you  to  discontinue  trans-shipping  cargo;  and  that  you  will  not  go 
far  off  till  we  arrive." 

On  the  29th,  they  came  to  the  "  Waterloo,"  accompanied  by  the  old 
gentleman,  called  *'the  man  from  beyond  the  great  river."  The  important 
words  which  they  had  to  communicate  consisted  of  a  proposal,  designed 
to  enable  the  Local  Government  to  accommodate  the  affair:  the  plan  was 
that  the  Committee  should  write  to  the  Government,  stating  that  Captain 
Richardson  aflfirmed,  two  men,  named ,  and  ,  had  dis- 
appeared from  the  frigate.  On  this  groundwork  or  foundation,  laid  in 
perjury  (for  in  China  a  written  declaration  is  used  instead  of  oaths),  they 
meant  to  rear  a  legal  superstructure,  by  which  they  would  prove  these  two 
missing  men  were  the  murderers.  This  proposal  was  totally  rejected. 
The  next  remaining  expedient  was,  that  the  frigate  should  go  away,  if  it 
were  but  for  a  few  days,  to  enable  the  Governor  to  write  to  Court,  that  the 
English  cruizer  had  run  away  with  the  murderers  on  board. 

The  Committee,  we  understand,  in  writing,  reiterated  their  former 
declaration,  that  as  the  Company's  ships  were  not  at  all  concerned  in  the 
Lin-tin  affair,  it  was  unjust  to  implicate  their  commerce;  and  that  if, 
both  now  and  hereafter.  Government  would  separate  the  aflfair  of  His 
Majesty's  ships  from  the  Company's  merchantmen,  they  were  willing  to 
return  to  Canton. 

During  the  conversations  and  persuasions,  pro  and  con,  with  the  Hong 
Merchants,  the  old  gentleman  referred  to  above,  whose  avocations  in 
youth  were  those  of  a  Chinese  lawyer,  seemed  to  discover,  what  indeed 
was  originally  stated  by  Captain  Richardson  to  the  Governor,  that  the 


]8i-2.] 


APPKJSDIX. 


27 


I 


Httnck  of  tlie  tiin-tin  mhabilantB,  and  ihe  fatal  repulse  they  met  with,  was 
ths  busineKs  of  one  day:  whereas,  the  Local  Majtistrate  had  regireienleil. 
thnt  the  vilkgen,  on  ihe  lOih  of  the  1  Ith  mi>on,  had  run  after  the  ■nilnn 
to  recover  sauie  potaloM  aad  spirits,  and  thai  on  the  '2I)t  tile  sailors 
went  on  nhore,  armed,  to  lake  revenfie.  "  This  your  statemenl,"  said  lli« 
old  gentleman,  "  quite  alters  the  case  in  law ;  the  repulse  heixig  at  the 
inomenl  of  assault,  is  a  very  dilTerent  affair  from  the  transaction  includ- 
ing two  separate  dayn."  The  Hong  Merchants  then  proposed,  that  L'aptain 
Richardson  should  write  to  the  Governor,  slating  the  facts  of  the  case- 
Although  Captain  Richardson  had  originBlly  slated  the  facts  to  the 
Chinese  Government,  he  had  no  objection  to  accommodate  hy  re-stating 
tliera,  which  he  did  in  a  letter,  rendered  into  Chinese  by  Dr.  Morrison  i 
and  sent  without  any  English  copy,  to  prevent  the  facta  and  reasonings 
being  misstated,  under  the  pretext  of  amending  the  tranaktion.  The 
Captain  also  intimated  In  liis  letter,  that  the  time  of  his  deprture  from 
('hina  was  approaching  j  to  prevent  their  having  to  say  hereafter,  that  he 
went  away  without  previously  informing  ibem  of  his  design. 

January  3lal,  a  letter  was  received  from  the  Portuguese  Governor  of 
Macao,  enpressing  feelings  of  friendship  to  the  English,  and  rearliness  to 
he  useful  to  the  Company's  concerns  (  and  if  agreeable,  to  mediate  with 
the  Chinese  in  this  affair.  This  letter  accompanied  a  translation  of  n 
ducunient  sent  to  the  Portuguese  hy  a  Local  Chinese  Maginlrnte  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Macao;  wlio  is  called  by  the  Portuguese,  the  Coaa- 
Ptanca  Mandarin.  He  had  written  his  paper  in  the  usual  poropoiia 
way  of  smalt  Chinese  ofhcers,  who,  in  bombast,  tromnionly  exceed  their 
very  bombastic  superiors. 

Tlie  burden  of  his  mandate  was,  that  aa  two  subjects  of  the  Celestial 
Empire  had  been  killed,  two  of  the  English  must  bo  executed  j  or  else  the 
trade  would  be  cut  off  for  ever :  and  that  as  the  English  Chief  and  the 
others,  with  their  wires,  were  merely  allowed,  as  a  matter  of  favour,  to 
make  a  temporary  stay  in  Macao;  now  the  trade  being  stopped,  and  their 
wii-es  taken  on  board  ships,  they  should  never  again  be  allowed  to  return, 
till  two  Englishmen  were  delivered  up  to  forfeit  their  lives. 

We  believe  the  mediation  of  His  Eicellancy  was  declined  i  and,  as  the 
Comioittee  was  in  coireapondence  with  the  Chinese  Governor  of  the  pro- 
vince, the  officious  interference  of  a  subordinate  Chinese  officer  could  not 
be  attended  to,  and  the  Casa-Branca  Mandarin's  "  Chop"  was  returned. 
The  principle  on  which  the  Portuguese  Government  occupies  Macao, 
is  that  of  sufl'erance — on  consideration  of  paying  au  annual  sum  to  the 
Canton  Government.  The  Chinese  issue  order*  to  the  Portugueut 
Government,  aud  demand  admittance,  whenever  they  please,  to  the  forts. 
Id  the  toivn  of  Macao  there  are  Chineee  Magistrates,  and  Chinese  cuatom- 
house*,  as  well  as  Portuguese  Government,  and  a  Portuguese  custom- 

The  English  Factory  rtaiiles  at  Macao,  not  at  the  pleasure  of  the  Portu- 
guese, but  hy  a  right  arising  from  an  order  issued  to  the  Portuguese  (rum 
the  Chinese  autlinrities.  Whto  thi^  Uuich,  under  the  dominion  of  France 


28  APPENDIX.  [1822. 

were  at  war  with  the  Portuguese,  the  Macao  Portuguese  Government 
ordered  the  Dutch  Factory  from  Macao ;  but  the  Chief  of  that  Factory 
succeeded,  by  some  exertion,  in  obtaining  from  the  Chinese  Govemment 
a  \'eto,  disannulling  the  order  of  the  Portuguese  Macao  Govemment,  and 
the  Dutch  Factory  remained  in  spite  of  them.  Any  European  Merchant 
who,  from  Canton,  obtains  a  permit  to  go  to  Macao,  in  what  is  called  a 
chop  boat,  takes  with  him  an  order  to  the  Portuguese  Government  at 
Macao  to  let  him  land ;  but  if  averse  to  him,  they  have  the  power  to 
forbid  their  own  subjects  to  let  a  house  to  him;  the  Chinese  cannot 
compel  them  to  rent  out  their  houses ;  and  it  is  not  the  usage  for  Euro- 
peans to  live  in  Chinese  houses.  This  difficulty,  however,  can  occur  only 
to  individuals  in  China,  who  are  not  sanctioned  by  their  respective  Euro- 
pean Governments,  as  there  is  a  standing  order,  it  is  said,  from  the  Court 
of  Portugal  to  their  servants  in  Macao,  to  accommodate  with  houses  Euro- 
pean Factories. 

February  1st,  a  letter  was  received  from  the  Hong  Merchants,  saying, 
that  an  officer,  appointed  by  Govemment,  would  leave  Canton  on  that 
day,  to  proceed  down  to  the  sbips  to  enquire  into  the  origin  of  the  affair 
at  Lin-tin,  and  that  he  would  be  accompanied  by  the  merchants,  and  the 
old  gentleman  referred  to  in  the  preceding  pages. 

On  the  3rd  these  persons  arrived  at  Chuen-pee,  and  on  the  4th,  the 
official  men  went  on  board  the  frigate,  and  had  a  conference  with  Captain 
Richardson.  He  admitted  to  the  cabin  only  his  first  Lieutenant,  and  the 
Surgeon  of  the  "  Topaz,"  with  Dr.  Morrison  as  the  medium  of  communi- 
cation on  the  part  of  the  English.  The  Chinese  Hong  Merchants  were 
not  received  on  board ;  and  the  old  gentleman,  although  previously  in  the 
ship,  under  the  character  of  a  friend,  was  excluded  from  the  conference. 

The  official  list  of  the  wounded  men,  originally  made  out  by  the  Sur- 
geon, was  signed  by  him,  and  by  Captain  Richardson,  and  then  given  to 
the  Chinese,  who  immediately  wrote  down  a  translation  from  Dr.  Morri- 
son's verbal  rendering.  It  was  stated  to  them  that  the  probable  ground 
of  the  quarrel,  on  the  part  of  the  Chinese,  was  an  officer's  having  destroyed 
two  jars  of  spirits,  which  the  inhabitants  of  Lin-tin  had  hid  in  the  sand, 
for  the  purpose  of  getting  them  into  the  possession  of  the  seamen.  And 
the  original  charge  of  stealing  potatoes,  is  supposed  to  have  originated  in 
the  keeper  of  two  pet  goats  having  cut  off  the  tops  of  some  potatoes,  and 
given  them  to  the  goats  to  eat.  The  Chinese  officers,  on  this  occasion, 
had  no  power  to  decide  on  the  subject ;  but  closed  the  conference  by  say- 
ing they  would  report  to  the  Governor.  They  visited  the  cot  of  one  of 
the  wounded  men,  who  was  still  unweU,  and  also  looked  at  some  of  the 
healed  scars  of  those  who  had  received  cuts. 

The  Chinese  officers  were  received  with  attention,  and  the  usual  for- 
malities of  the  band  playing,  and  the  marines  drawn  out ;  and  when  they 
left  the  ship  a  Chinese  salute  of  three  guns  was  fired. 

Mr.  Urmston,  as  Chief  of  the  Factory,  accompanied  by  Captain  Alsager, 
paid  a  visit  of  ceremony  to  the  Chinese  officers  on  board  the  war-junk,  in 
which  the  deputed  Chinese  came  down  to  the  frigate ;  and  Captain  Richard- 


1822.]  APPENDIX.  29 

son  returned  the  visit  of  the  Chinese  officers  on  board  their  own  junk. 
When  the  Captain  and  Mr.  Urmston  left  the  deck,  the  Chinese  saluted 
them  with  three  guns. 

In  the  junk  were  two  long  pieces  of  Portuguese  brass  cannon,  one  of 
them  dated  about  1630 ;  which  circumstance  being  communicated  to  one 
of  the  Chinese  officers,  he  showed  feelings  of  great  satisfaction  at  the  age 
of  his  gun. 

The  Captain  of  the  junk,  who  wore  a  crystal  button,  appeared  a  simple 
good  natured  man.  He  accompanied  the  civilians  on  board  the  frigate, 
and  expressed  a  wish  for  friendly  intercourse  with  Captain  Richardson. 

The  Hong  Merchants,  during  this  day,  still  desired  some  basis  of  a 
legal  fiction  to  be  laid,  by  the  assertion  of  an  untruth ;  such  as,  that  two 
men  had  fallen  overboard,  and  could  not  be  found,  for  the  purpose  of  en- 
abling the  Government  to  say  that  these  were  the  murderers:  for  the 
merchants  still  pretend  that  the  Government  cannot  admit  the  plea  of 
self-defence,  and  make  the  case  justifiable  homicide ;  so  that  taking  the 
list  of  the  wounded  men,  and  hearing  the  origiu  of  the  affair,  does  not  at 
all  help  them  to  make  out  such  a  statement  as  will  suit  to  lay  before  the 
Emperor. 

The  Chinese  officers  seem  to  have  been  sent  down,  not  with  any  specific 
terms  of  accommodation,  but  simply  with  a  general  intimation,  that  their 
superiors  would  not  examine  into  the  truth  of  any  statement  the  foreigners 
chose  to  originate ;  and  hence  those  officers  came,  not  bearing  terms  of 
arrangement,  but  to  endeavour  to  find  out  a  way  of  closing  the  proceed- 
ings, on  the  original  principle  assumed  by  the  Chinese  Government,  viz., 
that  the  frigate's  men  had  murdered  two  natives ;  and  therefore  two  En- 
glishmen must  either  be  executed,  or  be  made  out  to  have  been  drowned, 
or  have  been  run  away  with  in  the  frigate. 

The  Governor  is  now  deprived  of  a  very  considerable  part  of  his  power 
by  the  arrival  in  Canton,  of  .the  Vice-Govemor,  usually  called,  in  Chinese, 
the  Foo-yuen,  whose  seals,  as  was  stated  in  the  beginning  of  this  narra- 
tive, were  in  possession  of  the  new  Governor. 

The  new  Foo-yuen  is  a  Manshur  Tartar,  and  many  dififer  in  'opinion 
on  this  question  with  the  Governor;  in  which  case  it  must  be  more 
favourable  to  the  foreigners ;  as  the  Governor,  who  is  by  birth  a  Chinese, 
has  taken  ground^  than  which  nothing  can  be  more  hostile. 

On  Friday,  February  8th,  His  Majesty's  Frigate  "Topai"  got  under 
weigh  at  day-break ;  the  Commodore  of  the  Company's  ships.  Captain 
Wilstead,  saluted  the  frigate,  which  was  returned ;  and  next  a  salute  was 
fired  from  the  Honourable  Company's  Ship  "  Waterloo,"  in  return  for  one 
fired  by  the  frigate,  as  a  compliment  to  the  President  on  the  preceding 
evening. 

At  noon,  on  Friday,  a  letter  was  written  to  the  Hong  Merchants  to  in- 
form them  that  Captain  Richardson  having  waited  a  reasonable  time  for  a 
re])ly  to  the  report  of  the  Chinese  officers  who  were  on  board  the  frigate 
on  Sunday  last,  and  no  reply  having  arrived,  he  had  taken  his  departure. 
Sunday,  the  lOth  of  February,  a  note  from  the  Merchants,  acknowledg- 


30  APPENDIX.  [  1 82*2 

ing  the  receipt  of  the  Committee's  letter,  was  received,  in  which  they  pro 
mised  to  transcribe  and  send  down  any  document  containing  the  com 
mands  of  the  Government  as  soon  as  they  should  be  issued. 

The  Rev.  Henry  Harding,  Chaplin  to  the  Factory,  performed  Divini 
Service  on  board  the  "  Waterloo  "  this  day.  "  The  Church  was  built  *'  ii 
an  orderly  manner  on  the  quarter-deck,  and  the  seamen  attended  to  th< 
semce  with  much  decorum.     Captain  Alsager  officiated  as  clerk. 

The  official  document  which  the  Hong  Merchants  promised  would  Ix 
issued  immediately  on  the  sailing  of  the  frigate,  was  not  forthcoming 
but,  instead  of  it,  they  came  down  to  Chuen-pee  on  the  3l8t  of  February 
and  presented  the  draught  of  a  letter,  which  they  wished  the  Committe< 
to  write  to  them,  in  which  it  was  affirmed  that  Captain  Richardson  said 
on  his  going  away,  that  he  had  been  unable  to  find  out  who  murdered 
the  Chinese,  but  he  would  take  all  the  men  to  England  and  have  then 
punished  there.  The  Committee  also  were  required  to  say  that  the^ 
would  write  to  the  Court  of  Directors  to  induce  them  to  report  the  affaii 
to  the  King  of  England,  that  the  crimes  of  the  offenders  might  b€ 
punished.  And  the  letter  closed  by  soliciting  the  Governor  to  allow  the 
Factory  to  return  to  Canton,  as  he  had  done  in  former  edicts,  and  to  open 
the  trade,  for  which  the  foreign  merchants  were  made  to  express  them- 
selves infinitely  grateful. 

Instead  of  adopting  this  letter,  the  Committee  reiterated  what  they  had 
said  from  the  beginning,  viz.,  that  they  did  not  possess  authority  over  the 
frigate,  and  could  not,  now  that  she  was  gone,  discuss  the  question, 
which  it  was  the  province  of  the  naval  Captain  to  discuss.  But  if  the 
Chinese  Government  would  separate  the  King's  from  the  Company's 
ships,  and  allow  the  trade  to  be  carried  on  as  usual,  the  Factory  was 
willing  to  return.  With  this  document  the  merchants  left  Whampoa  to 
return  to  Canton,  in  apparent  good  spirits. 

The  "  man  from  beyond  the  great  river,"  who,  in  this  affair,  had  three 
or  four  times  held  forth,  in  the  strongest  terms,  the  most  positive  assur- 
ances of  a  speedy  and  final  arrangement,  did  not  make  his  appearance 
with  the  last  deputation  ;  and  the  man,  nicknamed  '*  the  delicate  young 
lady,"  was  at  pains  to  explain  that  the  adjustment  was  not  delayed  by  any 
feeling  of  hostility  on  his  part. 

February  14th,  being  Valentine's  day,  a  small  party  of  gentlemen 
visited  the  island,  in  Ross's  Charts,  called  Laun-keet,  which  was  found  writ- 
ten in  Chinese  n^  '^  Lung-heu5,  a  name  which  denotes  '*  the  Dragon's 

Cave."  No  cave,  however,  appears  on  the  island.  A  native  affirmed, 
that  a  bay  towards  the  south  was  intended  by  the  word  cave.  Under  a 
tree,  at  the  east  side  of  the  island,  there  is  an  altar  dedicated  to  a  rude 
stone,  which  is  the  object  of  worship.  The  inscription  on  each  side  of  the 
altar  expresses  a  wish  for  fair  winds  and  smooth  water,  which  seems  to 
imply  that  the  worshippers  are  chiefly  a  sea-faring  people.  At  the  west  end 
of  the  island  there  are  a  few,  from  ten  to  twenty  male  inhabitants,  who 
appear  to  be  miserably  poor.    Tlie  only  brick  building  is  a  temple  dedi- 


1822.]  APPENDIX.  31 


cated  to  — :  j^  San-shing,  "  three  holy  persons,"  whose  names  are 

Chow,  Lin,  and  Lo. 

At  Cliuenpee  there  was  found  a  jar  containing  a  human  skeleton.  It  is 
said  that  one  of  the  English  surgeons,  with  an  intention  of  benefiting 
anatomical  science,  brought  away  the  scull. 

Sunday,  the  17th  of  February,  the  Hong  Merchants  came  down  with  the 
draught  of  a  letter  to  the  Government,  accompanied  by  a  verbal  promise 
that  if  the  Committee  would  adopt  it,  and  write  it  officially  to  the  Gover- 
nor, Vice-Governor,  and  Hoppo,  the  affair  would  be  arranged.  In  this 
document,  which  professed  to  be  founded  on  the  Committee's  last  letter 
to  the  Hong  Merchants,  the  spirit  and  style  were  modified,  and  lowered  to 
a  servile  tone  ;  the  words  used  for  the  pronoun  We,  were  changed  to  the 

Chinese  word  E   ^5^  which  is  usually  translated  foreigners,  but  which 

conveys,  in  addition  to  not  belonging  to  China, — an  idea  of  inferiority, 
resembling  ^the  word  barbarian  as  anciently  used  by  the  Greeks.  On 
this  account  the  English  translators  have,  for  a  long  time  past,  disused  it 
in  their  letters  to  Government.  The  proposed  letter  further  required  the 
Committee  to  say,  that  they  would  write  to  the  Court  of  Directors  to 
report  the  late  proceedings  to  the  King,  that  he  might  prosecute  the 
people  in  the  frigate ;  and  closed  by  thanking  the  Government  for  their 
discernment  in  separating  the  King's  from  the  Com]>any'8  ships,  and  by 
soliciting  the  trade  to  be  opened  ;  for  which  they  would  be  grateful  in  a 
ten  thousand  fold  degree. 

lliis  draught  of  a  letter  was  not  adopted ;  but  the  last  letter  to  the  mer- 
chants, re- written,  with  an  additional  sentence,  promising  to  lay  the  whole 
of  the  late  proceeding  before  the  Court  of  Directors ;  and  the  letter  thus 
written  was  addressed  to  the  three  persons  at  the  head  of  the  Government. 

February  18th,  the  French  frigate  "  Cleopatra"  arrived  in  Macao  Roads, 
supposed  to  be  on  a  mission  to  Cochin-China ;  and  about  the  same  time 
the  new  Constitution  of  the  Portuguese  was  proclaimed  in  Macao.  By 
this  the  power  of  the  Disembargador  (Judge)  was  considerably  dimi- 
nished, and  the  controul  placed  in  the  hands  of  an  assembly. 

The  Company's  schooner,  to-day,  brought  from  Macao,  a  Chinese  docu- 
ment, in  which  a  meeting  of  the  Chinese  inhabitants  was  summoned  to 
consider  how  much  the  Disembargador  had  done  during  his  twenty  years' 
stay  in  Macao,  to  preser\'e  the  peace,  by  putting  down  the  pirates,  by 
opposing  the  English  expeditions,  &c. ;  and  therefore  the  Chinese  inha^ 
bitants  desired  to  retain  him  in  office,  and  prevent  the  new  constitution  or 
form  of  Government.  Those  who  issued  the  requisition  for  a  meeting 
desired  that  the  Chinese  Local  Government  should  be  addressed  on  the 
subject.  It  is  said,  however,  that  the  Chinese  creditors  of  the  Judge, 
to  whom  he  is  indebted  400,000  dollars,  were  the  only  persons  who  cared 
whether  he  was  in  or  out  of  office.  In  the  above-named  document,  the 
Chinese  state  distinctly  that  Macao  is  theirs. 

News  has  arrived  from  the  Straits  of  Malacca,  of  the  attack  of  the 
Siamese  on  Kidda,  and  of  their  having  demanded  from  the  Government 


32  APPENDIX.  [1822. 

of  Penang,  the  King  of  Kidda's  head.  This  occurrence  is  said  to  be  con- 
nected with  the  state  of  hostilities  now  existing  between  the  Birmans  and 
the  Siamese. 

Mr.  Crawford,  as  Commercial  Envoy,  is  about  the  same  time  on  his 
way  to  Siam,  from  the  Governor-General  of  Beng^.  These  occurrences 
will  probably  lead  to  some  new  relations  between  the  British  authorities 
in  India  and  the  Peninsula,  which  terminates  at  Malacca. 

Friday,  the  22nd  of  February,  the  Government  Linguists  arrived  at 
Chuen-pee,  bearing  a  document  from  the  Governor,  expressed  as  briefly 
and  ambiguously  as  possible,  under  the  state  of  feeling  which  must  have 
existed  in  the  minds  of  the  persons  at  the  head  of  concerns.  It  fully  and 
freely  re-opened  the  commerce,  but  still  affirmed,  that  the  frigate  had 
run  away  with  the  murderers  on  board ;  and  therefore,  although  to  order 
the  delivering  up  of  the  parties  was  impracticable,  and  the  Committee  was 
not  said  to  be  responsible,  yet  they  had  said  officially  (as  in  the  last  letter) 
that  they  would  write  home  and  narrate  all  the  circumstances  from  first  to 
last,  that  the  affair  might  be  examined  into  and  managed.  The  Governor 
added,  that  his  conduct  in  this  case  was  an  extraordinary  display  of 
gracious  conduct  and  tenderness  shown  to  people  from  remote  parts. 

But  since  the  trade  was  fully  opened  by  the  Chinese  Government, 
although  they  made  that  a  matter  of  favour  which  the  English  considered 
merely  as  an  act  of  justice,  it  was  not  an  adequate  reason  for  refusing  to 
trade,  and  therefore  the  Committee  resolved  to  return  to  Canton. 

The  Hong  Merchants  sent  an  official  letter  with  the  Government  docu- 
ments, and  requested  the  Factory  to  return.    The  "  man  from  beyond  the 
great  river,"  who  had  repeatedly  raised  the  most  sanguine  expectations, 
;  whicli  were  long  disappointed,  now  spoke  of  the  past,  and  not  of  the 

future,  and  congratulated  the  Committee  on  the  invitation  to  return  to 
carry  on  the  commerce  as  usual,  affirming,  as  the  merchant's  letter  also 
did,  that  the  frigate's  affair  did  not  at  all  implicate  the  Company. 

It  has  always  been  maintained  by  the  Chinese  Government,  that  the 
commerce,  on  their  part,  is  matter  of  pure  favour;  and  the  people  of 
Canton  have  invariably  said,  that  if  our  ships  voluntarily  passed  the 
Bogue  forts,  in  the  way  they  on  this  occasion  did,  they  would  never  be 
allowed  to  return.  As  far  as  the  Local  Government  is  concerned,  both 
these  threats  have  now  been  proved  to  give  way  to  other  and  more  weighty 
contiiderations.  The  struggle  commenced  with  great  ardour  and  haughti- 
ness on  the  part  of  the  Local  Government ;  and  the  Governor  of  the  pro- 
vince as  well  as  the  Judge  must  have  been  mortified  at  the  result ;  be- 
sides, his  Imperial  Majesty  may  not  choose  to  be  satisfied  with  the  arrange- 
ment, it  would  therefore  be  unhandsome  and  premature  to  seem  to 
triumph,  however  much  all  the  English  have  cause  to  rejoice  in  escaping 
from  the  serious  alternative  to  which  the  Lin-tin  affair  reduced  them.  * 

H.  C.  S.  Waterloo, 
Chuen-pee,  February  23rd,  1822. 

*  Mr.  Urmston  had  tlie  honour  of  being  knighted  (by  patent)  by  Ilia  Majesty  Cieorge  IV.. 

for  hia  conduct  on  the  occaaion  of  the  Lin-Un  affair. 


AN  ACCOUNT  OK  THE  FIRK  OF  CANTON, 


iritiK  Friday  evening,  Novemlier  let,  1B32,  (Tsou-kwang,  3nd  year, 
9th  tnuDil,  IBth  day),  about  nine  o'clock,  a  Art  in  th«  mbilrbs  of  Canton, 
vaa  observed  Train  the  European  FactoricB.  It  wa«  distant  to  the  north- 
ward about  Gfieen  or  twenty  ininiitea'  walk  ;  porhapa  in  a  stiaigbt  hne  it 
was  distant  one  English  mile.  As  ia  usual,  on  an  alarcn  of  Hre,  the  en- 
gines belonging  to  the  English  Factory,  tu  tlie  Hong  Merchantu,  &c., 
were  drawn  tu  the  spot.  But  the  streets  being  narrow,  and  no  ivelU 
orguniced  firemen,  nor  any  efficient  co-operation  from  the  Guvernment, 
the  engines  were  iU-aupphed  >vilU  water,  and  made  little  or  no  iinpression 
on  the  fast-spreading  conQagrarion.  The  Chinese  carrying  away  iheir 
property,  generally  accompanied  by  a  man  with  drawn  sworda  or  knivei 
for  ila  defence,  and  uttering  loud  cries,  calbng  on  people  to  clear  the  way, 
filled  the  streets.  A  few  English  gentlemen,  officers  of  Ihe  Company's 
ships,  and  others,  endeavoured  to  assist  in  extinguishing  the  flames,  and 
in  pulling  down  the  houses  ;  but  they  met  with  no  co-operation  from  tho 
natives,  and  the  fire  rapidly  enereased  its  fury. 

On  the  English  Chief's  apartments  there  was  a  terrace,  from  ivhich  the 
lire  was  observed  by  the  anxious  Europeans,  and  the  probability  of  its 
Kacbing  the  Factories,  was  viewed  differently,  by  various  persons.  l'h« 
f-lonourahle  Mr,  Erskine  from  Penitng,  deemed  its  approach  inevitable,  so 
early  as  eleven  o'clock  on  Friday  evenings  and  about  twelve  or  one 
o'clock,  Mr.  Urmston  directed  Captain  Smith,  the  Commodore  of  the 
Fleet,  tu  dispatch  an  order  tu  Wliampua,  for  a  boat  and  men  from  each  ship, 
(o  assist  in  case  of  its  being  reijuired. 

Most  of  the  Europeans  in  Canton  began  shout  midnight  to  prepare  for 
removing  their  papers,  and  whatever  they  deemed  valuable,  into  boats  on 
the  river.  So  many  boats  were  required,  that  the  demand  for  their  hire 
became  from  ten  to  thirty  fold  what  was  usual ;  and  ultimately,  some 
persons  were  unable  to  procure  them  at  all. 

The  Company's  ship,  the  "  Regent,"  having  not  yet  anrived,  the 
woolleui  of  Ihe  season  had  not  been  distributed  amongst  the  Hong  Mer- 
chants, hut  were  still  in  the  Com[>eny's  warehouse.  Coollies  (or  porters} 
were  early  employed  to  remove  them  and  other  commodities;  but,  as  the 
lire  increased,  all  classes,  either  personally  or  relatively,  became  implicated, 
and  labourers  were  difficult  to  be  procured. 

About  five  o'clock  on  Saturday  morning  the  danger  appeared  every 
rooroent  more  imminent.  Two  papers  in  Chinese,  written  in  the  name  of 
the  English,  and  all  other  Europeans,  were  dispatched  by  Mr  Urmston, 
to  be  given  to  the  first  Mandarin  that  could  be  found  in  attendance  at  the 
fire ;  calling  upon  the  Governor,  and  the  other  supeKor  officer*  of  the 
Government,  to  order  the  military  and  the  poUce  to  unite  in  pulling  down 
Vol.  II.  c 


34  FIRE  OP  CANTON. 

the  houses  around  the  fire,  as  the  onl3r  possible  means  of  extinguishiiig  it 
and  of  saving  the  houses  of  foreigners  and  natives,  which  yet  remainec 
unconsumed. 

The  paper  was-  couched  in  the  most  earnest  and  importunate  laoKuage 
Messrs.  Daniell  and  Wigram  took  one,  and  succeeded  in  delivering  it  U 
an  official  person,  who  read  it,  and  looked  frigidly  displeased  at  its  con- 
tents. Mr.  Slade  took  another  copy  to  another  quarter — succeeded  ii 
showing  it  to  some  official  persons,  who  would  not  receive  it  nor  read  it. 

A  letter,  sealed  by  the  Chief,  Mr.  Urmston,  written  in  similar  Imnguage, 
but  still  more  importunate,  addressed  to  the  Governor  himself,  was  then 
dispatched  by  Messrs.  Hudleston  and  Rob'mson  to  the  city  gate  ;  joined 
also  by  Dr.  Morrison  and  Mr.  Slade.  When  they  arrived  at  the  gate, 
the  officer  and  men  on  guard,  in  their  usual  silly  manner,  made  a  great 
fuss  and  noise,  and  struggled  to  keep  out  the  foreigners,  and  shut  the 
gate  upon  them.  The  letter,  however,  was  thrust  into  the  hands  of  an 
inferior  officer,  who  looked  hastily  at  the  address,  and  ran  off  with  il 
towards  the  Governor's  without  saying  a  word. 

No  efforts,  however,  to  pull  down  the  houses  were  taken  by  the  Goreni- 
ment,  and  the  throng  in  the  streets  was  so  great,  that  the  pullinfi^  down  d 
the  houses  by  unauthorized  individuals,  whether  natives  or  foreigners, 
must  have  occasioned  the  deaths  of  many  persons.  The  silly  pusillani- 
mity of  the  Governor  appeared  afterwards  in  his  sending  back  the  letter 
un-opened,  because  it  was  not  sealed  with  the  Company's  seal-,  but  by 
Mr.  Urmston's  private  seal,  the  Company's,  having  been  put  in  a  place  of 
safety,  and  then  inaccessible.  The  Linguist  again  took  the  letter  to  the 
Governor,  but  whether  he  opened  it  or  not  is  unknown.  Nothing  was 
done  by  the  Government,  and  about  eight  o'clock  the  Factories  were  on 
fire. 

The  whole  of  Saturday  was  spent  in  ineffectual  struggles  to  arrest  the 
progress  of  the  flames.    The  wind  blew  from  the  north-east,  and  the  son 
of  that  day  had  not  set,  till  all  hope  of  preserving  any  of  the  foreign 
j  Factories  was  lost.    The  fire  spread  to  the  westward,  across  the  suburbs, 

and  along  the  edge  of  the  river,  to  the  distance,  probably,  of  a  mile  and 
a  half. 

Sunday  morning  dawned,  and  eichibited  nothing  hut  the  ruins  of  all 
the  European  Factories,  with  the  exception  of  the  American  Consul,  Mr. 
Wilcock's,  Mr.  Berry's,  and  a  part  of  Mr.  Magniac's.  The  English 
warehouse  was  entirely  consumed ;  but  nine  sets  of  apartments  were  pre- 
served. 

The  Hong  Merchants,  Fatqua,  Chunqua,  Pwankkequa,  and  Mowqua, 
had  their  Factories  completely  destro3Ped.*  Thousands  of  houses  and 
shops  were  burnt  to  the  ground.    Twenty-seven  persons  were  trampled 

*  Had  Mr.  Urmtton*!  urgent  applicatioiu.to  the  Viceroy,  and  other  Chinese  Oorera- 
ment  officers,  been  attended  to  and  acted  upon— of  pulling  down  the  houtet  turroondlnf 
or  near  the  fire,  the  progress  of  the  conflagration  would  have  been  materially  arreated; 
and  the  European  Factories,  and  very  many  of  the  Chinese  buildings  in  all  probability 
sared. 


FIHB  OF  CANTOS. 


35 


tt)  (Iraih  at  one  ■pot,  in  consequence  of  a  scnimble  (or  doUart,  nliich  Tell 
lo  tlie  ground,  when  a  robber  cut  the  bag  on  a  msti't  back,  which  con- 
tained thera. 

(icneral  Le(or  the  Kwang  chow  hfie)  told  the  writer  of  lliis,  that  50,000 
pereona  were  rendered  houaelees  by  the  fire.  No  such  cxtenvive  confla- 
gration had  occurred  in  the  nienior/  of  man.  It  wb£,  he  said,  "  Heaven's 
will."  The  Governor,  on  the  walls  of  the  city,  knelt  down  and  prayed  to 
Heaven  for  deliverance  t  but  in  vain.  On  Sunday  morning  he  came  to 
riew  the  ruini,  and  wept  over  tliem. 

On  Monday  the  fth,  early  in  the  morning,  the  Company  moved  their 
treasure,  amounting  to  cbout  700,000  dollar*,  on  hoard  a  chop  boat,  and 
•ent  il  down,  by  previous  permission,  to  the  senior  Hong  Merchant,  How- 
qua'a  treasury,  guarded  by  English  Bailors  in  a  ship's  boat.  After  a  part  of 
it  wa«  landed  at  Huwqua's,  be  became  so  alarmed  that  he  altered  his  mind, 
and  requested  it  might  be  taken  to  Wbampoa  and  put  on  hoard  ahip.  The 
reiuon  assigned  by  him  was,  [hat  he  was  apprebennve  the  houseless  Bn4 
itarving  people,  joined  by  banditti,  would  make  an  attack  upon  him.  He 
even  recommended  that  Europeans  should  go  down  to  Wbampoa  on 
board  their  ships,  to  a  place  of  ateurity.  The  treasure  waatdien  down  to 
Wbampoa,  and  put  on  board  four  of  the  Company's  ships ;  hut  his  advica 
(o  leave  Canton,  was  not  taken.  There  is  much  reason  to  apprehend,  that 
be  and  other  Chinese  merchanu  often  make  either  false  or  eiaggerated 
•tatements,  to  answer  their  avra  purpose.  Uowqua  wished  to  get  rid  of 
the  treasure  (not  unrtaBonably}  and  to  avoid  apphcations  for  assistance, 
and  probable  (uuiult,  and  therefore  be  exaggerated  at  llrgt  lbs  danger  of 
aasault  from  banditti. 

Hie  Chinese  sent  out  a  party  of  the  military  and  police  runners,  to  keep 
off  the  populace  and  prevent  theft.  During  the  night  there  were  400 
men,  and  in  the  daytime  forty  loldiers,  and  thirty  of  the  police.  Au 
inferior  officer  and  the  police  asked,  as  a  favour,  a  daily  allowance  from 
the  Company  for  this  extra  service,  which  was  conceded  ;  and.  as  uauali 
tlie  ofRceri  mentioned  it  to  their  superiors,  who  would  out  permit  them 
to  receive  it  i  and  sent  hack  the  flrst  day's  allowance.  The  police  were 
leas  scrupulous,  and  coDiinned  to  receive  theirs. 

On  the  night  of  the  tth,  some  Chinese  officers  disgraced  themselves  by 
robbing  ••*•*,  who  was  officer  of  the  English  guard  placed  over  the 
Factories,  of  his  aword  and  ring.  Those  who  had  this  pro|)erty  escaped  i 
but  be  delaiaed  one  who  was  in  their  company  till  the  next  day,  when  iho 
affair  was  laid  before  General  Le. 

The  story  told  was,  that  the  Chinese  invited  ibemaeU'es,  or  were  invited 
by  •••••,  to  his  rooms,  where  be  showed  them  bis  sword  and  ring,  and 
gave  them  something  lo  drink.  When  these  new  acquaintances  were 
parting,  and  shaking  hands,  one  Chinese  drew  off  the  ring,  another  toolt 
away  the  sword,  and  the  third  was  taken  prisoner. 

General  Le  laid,  admittinK  this  statement,  these  officere  on  duty  had  no 
right  lo  viiit  and  drink  tUK^thcr ;  they  have  all  commilted  crimes  |  if  I 
flog  my  officers,  will  you  flog  yours  ? 


36  FIRE  OF  CANTON. 

It  was  answered,  the  robbery  is  the  disgraceful  crime*  not  the  vieitiiig 
He  admitted  it  was  shameful,  but  would  not  admit  the  Tinting  and  drinkinf 
to  be  more  correct.  General  Le  was  told,  that  it  would  be  right  to  addret 
the  Governor  as  the  highest  civil  authority ;  but,  that  the  General  migh 
not  be  disgraced  by  such  mean  conduct  in  his  subordinate  officers,  th< 
man  detained  would  be  delivered  up  to  him,  on  his  engaging  to  punisl 
the  parties,  and  to  endeavour  to  recover  the  property.  The  property,  hi 
said,  might  be  thrown  away,  and  be  irrecoverable ;  but  he  had  the  name 
of  the  parties,  and  would  punish  them  severely.  He  thanked  the  Engliil 
Chief  for  the  handsome  manner  in  which  he  had  softened  down  the  affidr. 
There  were  also  those  who  thought,  that  our  officer  of  the  guard  hai 
committed  himself,  by  having  had  any  thing  to  say  to  these  Chinese,  an< 
having  albwed  himself  to  be  disarmed,  either  by  fraud  or  force.  Besidei 
the  dreadful  calamity  which  so  recently  had  bafallen  so  many,  occupia 
the  time  and  attention  of  all  authorities  too  much,  to  leave  any  leisure  fo 
further  measures  respecting  a  personal  rencontre,  in  which  evidently  then 
was  culpable  remissness  on  one  side,  and  contemptible  meanness  on  tb 
other 

The  Chinese  authorities  put  the  populace,  for  the  time  being,  under  t 
sort  of  martial  law.  Several  poor  wretched  natives,  caught  picking  iq 
iron  and  nails  from  the  buring  ruins,  were  dragged  before  military  officen 
and  they  immediately  laid  them  in  the  ground  and  flogged  them  on  tbi 
breech;  sometimes  with  a  thong,  and  sometimes  with  a  flat  bamboo.  Ai 
English  sailor  who  struck  an  officer  of  a  ship  to  which  he  did  not  beloBf 
was  tied  to  the  flag-staff  and  punished  with  two  dosen  lashes. 

The  treasuries,  of  most  of  the  factories  burnt  down,  were  attempted  tc 
be  broken  open  by  the  Chinese  during  the  second  night  of  the  fire.  SonM 
baffled  their  efforts;  others  were  opened  but  found  empty.  In  Mr 
Oliphant's  they  found  dollars,  and  had  carried  of  a  few  thousands,  whei 
he,  and  a  party  with  him,  came  and  drove  them  away,  and  saved  the 
remainder  of  the  treasure. 

Wednesday,  the  6th,  the  Governor  issued  a  proclamation  requiring  ti 
account  to  be  sent  into  Government  of  the  number  of  houses  destroyed  { 
and  the  amount  of  property  consumed,  and  the  number  of  lives  lo8t,prepan- 
tory  to  his  sending  a  report  of  the  melancholy  occurence  to  the  £mperor. 
The  English  this  day  sent  into  Government  a  paper,  in  which  the] 
stated  their  probable  loss  to  be  about  4,000,000  of  dollars.  They  ezpressec 
their  belief  in  Providence;  but  at  the  same  time  maintaincNJ,  that  al 
human  efforts  must  be  employed  to  avert  evil;  and  regretted  that  their  re 
quest,  on  the  morning  of  the  2nd,  had  not  been  attended  to;  for  had  itbeei 
so,  the  probability  is  that  one  half  of  the  calamity  might  have  been  averted 
They  represented  the  danger  arising  from  the  Chinese  houses  (in  wbid 
and  about  which  there  is  always  a  great  quantity  of  wood)  being  boil 
against  the  walls  of  European  factories ;  and  begged  the  aid  of  Govern 
ment  to  arrange  equitably  with  the  owners  of  the  ground ;  so  as  to  leav 
a  space  between  the  Chinese  houses,  and  the  foreign  factories,  that  ma; 
hereafter  be  built. 


Ih. 


FIRE  OF  CANTON.  37 

On  the  rooming  of  Weilneaday,  Ivia  Chinese  were  decapitnied  on  th(. 
charge  of  being  incenOinrieB,  and   for  rolibinfj   duriog  the  Hre ;  snd  on 
Thursday  morning  two  more  were  beheaded  on  similar  charges  heing 
■ed  Bgainai  [hem. 

bin  day  two  |)oor  people,  gaihering  biu  of  iron  from  the  ruins,  and  a 
isenger,  "■ere  crushed  lo  death  hj  a  wall  which  fell  upon  them. 

Some  state  thelossof  lives  altogether  at  one  hundred, and  mostly,  young 
men.  Roltber*  cut  down  those  who  were  carrying  away  projwriy  j  and 
probably  some  attempting  lo  rob  were  killed  by  those  who  defended  it. 

'Die  Local  Magistrateii,  the  Nan-hae-heen,  and  the  Teo-tang.  are  dia. 
misled  for  mismnnagemeni,  and  are  to  have  their  punishment  referred  to 
the  Emperor.  The  Goi-emor  himself,  by  law  mual  have  his  conduct 
enquired  into.  It  is  said  that  on  the  night  of  the  tire,  in  the  anguish  of 
hie  mind,  he  disrobed  himeelf^put  offhia  oHiciBl  cap  and  his  boots,  and 
threw  them  into  the  flames,  thereby  intimating  his  willingneia  to  sufier 
dismissal,  on  account  of  his  inability  to  extinguish  the  fire. 

The  punishment  called  '  Ear  Arrows'  was  inflicted  on  two  Chinese  on 
Tuesday ;  probably  the  same  men  who  were  decapitated  on  Wednesday 
morning.  The  point  of  that,  which  was  intended  to  represent  an  arrow, 
was  struck  through  the  ear  in  two  places,  so  as  to  stand  perpendicular,  and 
from  the  top  of  the  shaft  there  was  a  label  waving,  on  which  was  written 
the  nature  of  the  crime  committed.  In  this  manner  they  were  puUeJ  along 
by  small  chains,  at  a  quick  pace,  with  a  gong  beating  before  them. 

Friday  morning,  the  8th,  two  more  incendiaries  were  decapitated  ;  and 
in  the  evening  of  'hat  day  a  man,  dresited  in  woman'*  clothes  and  afleet- 
ing  the  voice  of  a  female,  begging  for  a  night's  loilging,  was  detected,  and 
found  to  be  an  incendiary.  The  Governor,  in  person,  thrice  visited  the 
city  gates,  and  by  his  manner  discovered,  that  serious  apprehension  for 
the  public  IrarniuiUity  filled  his  breast. 

The  English  received  an  answer  to-day  from  the  Governor  concerning 
the  mode  of  building  Chinese  houses  apart  from  foreign  factories,  as  sug- 
gested in  their  letter  to  him  on  the  Glh  instant.  He  commanded  the 
Hong  Merchants  to  examine  the  place  referred  to,  and  see  if  they  could 
roske  such  a  detailed  report,  as  would  enable  GovemmeDt  to  act  on  it. 

His  Excellency  said  he  ilid  not  receive  the  petition  Hnt  to  him  on  the 
morning  of  the  2nd ;  and  if  he  had,  the  natives  would  not  have  submitted 
t«  have  their  houses  previously  pulled  down  for  the  purpose  of  saving  the 
foreign  factories.  The  strong  gale  of  wind  blowing  direct  from  the  north, 
(he  said)  and  the  furiously  rapid  spread  of  the  conflagration,  exceeded  all 
anticipation,  and  rendered  unavailing  all  the  measures  which  were  taken 

A  fire  occurred  at  Macao  on  the  I  it  instant,  in  the  Chinese  village  called 
Sha-te,  and  burnt  to  death,  a  mother  and  child,  it  was  on  the  evening  of 
the  same  day  that  the  fire  of  Canton  broke  out. 

Although  the  English  had  nine  sets  of  ■parlmenls  preserved,  they  were 
inaccessible  through  the  ruins  and  rubbish,  as  well  as  from  the  danger  of 
part  of  isolated  waits  falling  and  crushing  those,  who  niight  i<ass  below 
them.  During  eereral  nights,  every  individual  slept  wherever  he  could 
find  shelter;  but   on  ITiiirsday  the  fith,  the  grcaler  part  of  the  factory 


38  FIRE  OF  CANTOK. 

moved  into  a  warehouse,  or  packing-house  as  it  ia  otherwise  called,  be 
longing  to  Con-se-qua,  once  a  rich  man,  but  now  a  bankrupt  Hon] 
merchant.  In  this  range  of  buildings,  the  Chief  and  Committee,  took  u] 
their  abode,  and  established  an  office  for  the  transaction  of  the  Company' 
affairs.  On  the  same  day  also,  the  etkminatron  and  ahipping-off  of  te 
recommenced. 

To  pull  down,  or  overthrow  the  lofty  walls  of  the  burnt  factories,  itaa  i 
task  for  which  the  Chinese  did  not  feel  themselves  condfpetent,  being  afrait 
of  the  danger ;  and  consequently,  officers  and  seamen  from  the  fleet,  on 
der  the  direction  of  Commodore  Smith,  were  appointed  to  perform  thi 
dusty,  dirty,  hazardous  duty ;  Chinese  labourers  were  at  the  same  tim 
employed  to  carry  out,  from  the  factories,  the  bricks  and  rubbish. 

The  fire  of  London,  which  broke  out  on  the  mormng  of  Sunday,  Sep 
Member  2nd,  1666,  was  perhaps,  as  the  accounts  say,  never  exceeded  ii 
its  destructive  extent,  in  any  part  of  the  world.  The  fire  extended  il 
ravages  over  a  space  of  ground  equal  to  an  oblong  square,  measurinf 
upwards  of  a  mile  in  length,  and  half  a  mile  in  breadth.  According  to  thi 
statement,  the  fire  of  London  was  exceeded,  in  the  extent  of  its  ravages,  b; 
the  fire  of  Canton. 

The  Governor  Yuen,  General  Le,  and  the  Chinese  people  generaUy,  sr 
of  this  gieat  calamity,  that  its  occurrence  was  by  the  ''will  of  heaven,' 

3^  "^  Teen-e ;  that  it  is  -^^  f&  Teen-tsae,  *  a  judgment  from  heaven, 

a  visitation  of  God,  to  punish  this  wealthy,  fraudulent,  luxurious,  anc 
depraved  city. 

If  the  wickedness  of  the  Antediluvians  induced  the  ruin  of  a  whok 
world ;  if  the  crimes  of  Sodom  called  for  fire  from  Heaven  to  destroy  the 
cities  of  the  Plain ;  if  the  wickedness  of  Nineveh,  that  great  city,  rose  up 
before  God,  and  cried  for  punishment ;  if  Babylon,  Egypt,  and  Jerusalem 
were,  for  their  crimes^  destroyed ;  how  can  it  be  thought  superstitious  oi 
credulous  to  believe,  that  on  this  occasion^  t}ie  Moral  Governor  of  the 
world  should  cause  a  concurrence  of  circumstances,  of  an  afilictive  nature, 
to  co-operate  as  a  general  chastisement,  or  punishment.  "  God  said,  I  will 
set  a  fire  in  Egypt,  and  execute  judgment."  * — "  Judgments  are  prepared 

for  scomers."t 

"How  speedily  can  a  slight  disorder  of  the  elements  consume  the 
wealth  of  the  most  opulent,  and  in  an  hour  annihilate  the  ic^oliaed  hoard, 
or  the  unjust  gains,  which  may  have  been  accumulating  half  a  century; 
and  in  this  case,  as  in  war,  and  famine,  and  pestilence,  God  is  pleased  to 
permit  the  comparatively  innocent  to  be  involved  with  the  guilty,  still 
he  is  just,  for  the  present  dispensations  of  Providence  are  not  final;  in 
the  end  it  will  be  seen  that  the  "  Judge  of  all  the  earth  does  right." 

Resignation;  a  humble  acknowledgement  of  God's  justice;  less  de- 
;>endance  on  wealth ;  less  avidity  in  the  pursuit  of  perishing  riches;  more 
fear  of  God ;  more  trust  in  his  help ;  labouring  for  the  bread  that  endures 
to  eternity ;  laying  up  treasures  in  heaven ;  and  placing  the  heart  there, 

•  Bxck.  XXX.  16,  19.  t  frow.  xix.  29.  *    ' 


KEtKS  TIJ  SEAtSES. 


Sf 


I 


are  lesiona  whicli  should  be  learnei)  from  general  calamitiei.  Or.  as 
ArclibUhop  Seeker  says,  "tlie  great  com|)reheiitiLve  lesson  whieh  the 
Almighty  iatends  to  teach  bjr  every  judgment  is,  an  awful  refiard  to  him- 
■elf  as  the  mind  Governor  of  the  world,  and  [he  practice  of  relieiun." 
Qiolt  on  Isaiah  xxvi.  90  Cod  punishes,  either  for  Ibe  advantage  of  ihoJM 
who  auSer;  or  that  others  may  hear  and  fear,  and  do  no  more  wickedness. 
"  When  tby  judKiiients  are  in  the  earth,  the  inhabitants  of  the  world  will 
learn  righteousness."  Isa.  ixvt.  9, 

The  Chinese  character,  as  formed  by  pagmniira  and  despoiisro,  exhibited 
on  this  occasion,  was  [he  op|iosite  of  generous  and  disinterested.  No  aid 
from  government  was  afforded  to  the  suffering  natives ;  ami  no  voluntary 
subscriptions  were  opened  liy  those  who  escaped  the  fire,  for  those  who 
had  been  ruined  by  it.  During  the  Hre,  a  spirit  of  selfiehncHS  prevented 
those  united  efforts,  and  personal  sacrilices,  which,  humanly  speaking, 
would  have  mi[igated  the  evil. 

The  Hong  Merchants  are  generally  men  who  have  known  Europeana 
from  ten  to  twenty  years  of  their  lives ;  have  had  daily  dealings  with 
them;  and,  in  many  instances,  formed  a  sort  of  friend'hip  for  tbetn  ;  but 
after  [he  Europeans  were  burnt  out,  and  left  hoiiseleaa.  none  of  ihe  Hong 
Merchants  who  had  escaped  [he  fire,  and  had  houses  and  warehouses 
entire,  volunteered  a  night's  lodging,  or  a  single  me^  to  the  houseless  and 
fasting.  Fan  hwei.  'foreign  devils t'  it  wu  oeeeseary  for  the  foreigners 
first  [o  solicit  thein. 

From  this  censure  the  Chinese  servants  must  be  e:tempted  i  they  gen«- 
rally  stuck  by  their  masters,  end  aided  honestly  in  saving  their  property. 
There  were  but  one  or  two  exception*.  One  was  lbs  servant  of  a  visitor  at 
Cnntnn,  whose  master's  good  or  ill-will  did  not  affect,  as  be  thought,  hia 
tiitiire  welfare;  it  is  said  he  ran  away  with  a  hundred  dollars  of  his  ragster's 


ADDRESS  TO  SEAMEN. 

thins.  Sepl<>mtwr*l.iaM. 
Britiah  Sailors!  Men  born  in  Christian  lands!— In  consequence  of  your 
being  now  far  off  from  your  native  ialands,  and  from  your  kindred,  and 
■ojouming  for  awhile  on  the  liordert  of  a  proud  Pagan  nation,  I  address 
you  as  a  fellow-countryman,  and  as  a  Mend.  I  desire  to  appeal  to  your 
uoderstandings  and  to  your  good  feelings.  I  desire  to  promote  your  per- 
•onal  respectability,  the  honour  of  our  country,  and  your  happiness,  both 
in  this  life,  and  in  that  eternal  state  of  existence,  which  God  our  Saviour 
has  assured  u»  will  corao  after  the  death  of  the  body.  Vour  circumstsncee 
Bi  to  your  kindred  a[  home  are  no  doubt  very  various ;  some  of  you  have 
1  mothers  yet  ahve,  who  are  anxious  about  their  aona,  eiposid 
^em  to  the  perils  of  the  ocean;  scorched  by  the  hot  rays  of  a 
a  ;  and  in  danger  of  being  seduced  by  bad  company  to  im]iieiy, 


40  ADDRESS  TO  SEAMEN. 

to  drunkenness,  or  to  debauchery ;  other  men  and  lads  are  fatherlevt  or 
motherless,  and  alas  I  friendless :  others  again  it  may  be  are  the  only  sup- 
port of  an  aged  mother,  of  a  sister,  or  of  a  wife  and  family.  I  address  you 
as  a  man  who  knows  the  feelings  of  a  son,  of  a  father,  of  a  husbaiu]*  and 
of  a  friend  ;  and  I  hope,  on  the  perusal  of  this  paper,  you  will  cherish  all 
the  kindest  recollections  of  your  homes,  and  your  kindred  ;  that  serious 
reflections  may  gain  the  readier  access  to  your  understandings  and  your 
hearts. 

Sailors !  you  know,  that,  in  reference  to  fighting  his  country's  foes  (Ame- 
ricans were  included),  the  gallant  Nelson  said, "  England  expects  every  mas 
to  do  his  duty."  This  was  nobly  said  in  the  day  of  battle,  and  it  is  not  less 
true  in  the  time  of  peace.  England  expects,  and  I  will  add.  Heaven  expects, 
every  man  to  do  his  duty.    Now  every  man  has  certain  duties  to  perform 
to  himself,  to  his  kindred  and  country,  to  mankind  generally^  and  to  bis  God 
and  Saviour.     And  what  is  man  ?    Man  is  a  creature  composed  of  a  body 
and  of  a  soul :  in  his  body,  (the  flesh,  and  blood,  and  bones,)  naan  resembles 
the  beasts;  but  in  his  soul,  a  spiritual  thinking  principle,  he  resembles 
the  angels ;  when  the  body  dies,  the  soul  dies  not,  but  passes  to  an  invi- 
sible eternal  state.     Man  is  a  creature  accountable  for  his  thoughts,  his 
words,  and  his  actions  to  Almighty  God,  the  maker  and  preserver  of  the 
universe,  which  is  composed  of  the  sun,  the  moon,  and  the  stars ;  the 
earth  and  all  that  are  on  it ;  the  ocean,  and  all  the  creatures  that  are  in  it 
Every  man  therefore  should  remember  daily  that  he  is  not  allowed  to  do 
as  he  pleases ;  but  he  must  do  what  reason  and  conscience  and  Grod's  de- 
clared will  require  him  to  do.     When  God  Almighty  made  the  first  man, 
he  taught  him  to  know  his  will  perfectly ;  and  all  nations,  the  heathen 
Chinese,  and  other  heathen  nations,  have  retained  to  this  day  some  part 
of  this  knowledge ;  and  any  man  may,  from  studying  God's  works  and 
God's  providence,  infer  to  a  considerable  extent,  the  will  of  God  ;  but 
God's  will  is  most  fully  made  known  in  the  books  written  by  Moses  and 
the  Jewish  prophets ;  and  by  the  apostles  and  other  disciples  of  Jesus 
Christ  our  Saviour ;  for  those  men,  out  of  mercy  to  all  mankind,  were 
taught  by  God  Almighty,  what  was  His  will ;  and  what  he  required  of 
men,  and  what  were  His  plans  of  mercy  towards  men.     Now  then,  res- 
son,  and  conscience,  and  the  Bible,  must  be  your  guides ;  and  you  ought  to 
think  and  read ;  and  also  take  the  advice  of  well-intentioned  men,  who 
may  have  had  more  time  to  think,  and  to  read  than  you  have  had.     It  is 
on  this  supposition,  that  I  have  taken  upon  me  to  volunteer  my  advice. 

Your  duty  to  yourselves  requires  you  to  take  due  care  both  of  your 
body  and  of  your  soul.  You  must  work  to  obtain  an  honest  supply  of 
food  and  raiment ;  and  work  too,  that  if  possible,  you  may  have  an  over- 
plus to  help  your  kindred,  some  of  whom  may  be  old,  or  sick,  or  belfdets. 
If  a  man  merely  eats,  and  drinks,  and  works,  and  sleeps,  and  never  thinks 
about  his  family,  or  of  improving  his  own  mind,  or  of  promoting  the  wel- 
fare of  his  immortal  spirit,  he  lives  as  if  he  were  all  body,  and  not  better 
than  the  beasts :  and  further,  if  a  man  exerts  his  mind  as  well  as  labours 
with  his  hands,  only  to  pamper  his  animal  appetites,  he  makes  his  soul. 


AUDHESS  T(J  SKAMBN. 


41 


I 


I 


wliicli  IS  ihe  spiritual,  noble,  and  Bngclic  pari  of  his  nature,  a  fllave  to  tbe 
brutal  |iarl ;  the  animal  bodj%  anil  bo,  in  many  cages,  becomes  worae  than 
a  beast ;  nr,  as  some  old  writeni  say,  nurh  a  man  is  "  half  bnile  and  half 
Jevil,"  A  good  man  uses  his  reaaon  and  religion  to  regulate  bia  animal 
ippetiies,  because  God  has  forbidden  excess  and  irregularity,  and  becanse 
indulgence  of  appetite  and  lust  is  injurious  to  man'a 
health ;  wastes  the  property,  irhieh  should  enable  him  to  do  good  to  hia 
kindred,  or  to  tbe  sick  and  distressed  j  for  excess  and  irregularity  are  gene^ 
Tally  injurious  to  other  people,  either  by  tbe  withdrawment  of  some  good, 
or  liy  the  infliction  of  some  positive  evil. 

Those  of  you  who  have  performed  several  voyages  to  China  knoiv  very 
well,  that  Rnoually  many  men  belonging  to  the  fleet  die  at  Whnmpoa  t 
tomelimes  by  the  usual  couiie  of  God's  providence,  without  any  direct 
cause  induced  by  themselves,  and  in  ibis  case  they  are  blanieless ;  but 
also  sometimes  in  consequence  of  diseases  brought  on  by  drunkenness,  &c. 

In  China  the  British  Sailor  too  commonly  mis-usea  the  leisure  of  tbe 
Sunday ;  and  on  Uberty-days  abandons  himself  to  the  grossest,  and  most 
unrsslrained  indulgence,  of  his  beastly  appetites  i  even  when  on  duty  at 
Canton,  he  sometimes  allows  himself  to  get  drunk  in  Hog-lane  j  and  in 
to  doing,  not  only  injures  his  health,  but  exposes  his  person,  his  country, 
)U>d  bis  religion,  to  the  scorn  of  the  Pagan  Chinese ;  and  he,  in  common 
with  every  unjust,  covetous,  avaricious,  lyini(,  drunken,  debauched  Euro- 
pean, in  Pagan  countries,  causes  God  our  Saviour  to  be  blasphemed 
angst  tlie  heathen ;  such  men,  whatever  their  station,  or  whatever  their 
.  salvatiun;  but  also  hinder  the  salvation 
a  of  the  subject,  and  not  alone  applicable 


it  only  neglec 


cloth,  I 

of  others, 

to  sailors  in  China. 

But  to  return,— British  Sailors !  it  is  allowed  on  all  hands  that  you 
possess  courage  and  generosity ;  that  you  can  fight  hard,  when  your  com- 
mander bids :  and  that  you  will  jump  overhonrd  at  the  risk  of  your  own 
Uves  to  save  a  person  drowning  i  still  war  and  danger  arc  evdi ;  you  do 
not  wiah  an  eternal  continuance  of  strife  and  of  hurricanes.  What  is  ynnr 
character  in  peace  ?  T  will  Leil  you  :  you  are  accused  m  the  Biitiib  Par- 
liament, and  in  the  English  Newspapere,  and  in  the  conversation  of 
some  gentlemen,  of  being  ungrsieful,  turbulent,  and  riotous  ;  and  of  gel- 
ling drunk,  and  of  quarreling,  and  lighting,  and  sometimes  of  cauaing  tbe 
death  of  tbe  natives;  and  by  such  conduct,  in  China  particularly,  of 
occasioning  an  immense  loss  of  property  to  your  employers,  by  involving 
ihem,  through  your  misconduct,  in  discussions  with  the  Chinese  Govern- 
ment, 10  prevent  your  being  tortured  and  strangled  unjustly  in  easea  of 
accidental  homicide.  The  Chinese  law  will  not  ercuee  a  man  who  kills 
another  in  a  tight,  because  tbe  other  man  struck  him  tirst.  or  insulted  him 
by  words  or  looks.  Th«  English  laiv  does  not  allow  of  slight  pretexlw 
for  killing  a  man  i  and  the  Chinese  law,  is  more  strict  than  the  English 
is.  If  tlierefore  yon  get  drunk,  or  put  yourselves  in  a  pasxian  and 
flglil,  and  kill  a  native,  you  wUl  not  only  be  censured  by  your  country- 


42  ADDRESS  TO  SEAM  Elf. 

men,  but  your  own  life  maj  be  sacrificed,  ahotdd  tiie  facts  be  prove 
against  you ;  for  no  body  should  screen  a  murderer.  The  sailors  of  othc 
countries  are  commended  as  more  reasonable  and  better  behaved  tha 
you  are ;  and  even  the  Chinamen  are  preferred  before  you,  as  an  orderl 
sober  people.  Now,  as  a  man,  and  a  man  bred  up  in  a  Christian  knc 
every  sailor,  in  the  Chinese  fleet,  should  reflect  and  see  how  far  these  ac 
cusations  are  true  in  reference  to  himself;  and  if  his  conduct  has  heretc 
fore  given  just  occasion  for  these  censures,  let  him  resolve  to  alter  hi 
conduct.  Let  him  think  of  his  home,  of  his  kindred,  of  his  country,  ani 
of  his  Saviour,  and  no  longer  by  his  misconduct  cause  injurious  reflection 
to  be  thrown  on  them.  And  let  him  think  of  his  duty  to  himself ;  thi 
he  has  a  soul  to  be  saved,  as  well  as  a  body  to  be  fed  and  dothecl;  and  4( 
him  resolve  to  be  true  to  her  who  is,  or  whom  he  intends  (if  Heaven  wiE 
to  make  his  wife.  Thus,  with  God's  help,  a  general  reformation  in  th 
conduct  and  character  of  British  Seamen,  who  frequent  China  will  tak 
place,  and  the  shameful  excesses  of  liberty-days  will  be  discontinued. 

I  might  here  reason  with  seamen  on  their  duties  to  maidund  generally 
to  Hindoos,  and  to  Chinese,  to  Malays,  or  to  any  other  people, — to  ac 
justly  and  kindly^  and  to  behave  peaceably ;  for  all  these  men  are  (as  th 
Lord's  Prayer  implies)  God's  creatures ;  nay,  God's  children  ;  hence  thea 
words,  "  Our  Father  which  art  in  heaven,"  and  so  on.  All  nations,  it  i 
true,  are  not  the  same  in  character,  any  more  than  all  the  sons  of  a  famD; 
are  the  same  in  temper  and  conduct.  Some  sons  are  dutiful,  others  ar 
undutiful;  some  are  clever  fellows,  others  are  great  blockheads;  stil 
they  should  in  a  family  be  all  kind  to  each  other.  These  members  of  th( 
human  family,  the  rascally  Chinamen,  as  they  are  sometimes  called,  an 
shrewd  fellows;  and  1  am  sorry  to  say,  they  too  often  take  in  the  hones 
hearted  British  Sailor.  They  sell  him  bad  poisonous  grog,  or  spirits,  an( 
they  pretend  to  be  friends  till  he  is  drunk,  and  then  they  rob  him  of  hi 
money.  These  fellows  should  he  shunned  and  guarded  a^nst.  Ai 
Chinese  are  not  so  bad.  They  have  both  good  and  bad  men  amongst 
them.  But  all  of  them,  even  when  saucy  are  not  worth  fighting  with 
A  British  seamen's  courage  is  well  known  ;  he  need  not  show  it  in  fight 
ing  with  the  Chinamen ;  but  he  should  try  to  be  quite  as  sober,  and  ai 
well-behaved  as  the  best  of  these  people  are :  and  he  should  not  alios 
himself  to  be  taken  aback  by  a  spirit- drinking  breeze,  whilst  the  bai 
Chinamen  are  sipping  tea  with  a  final  intention  of  coolly  robbing  pooi 
Jack's  pockets.  This  simplicity  of  the  Sailor  is  what  every  body  blames 
and  those  who  most  love  and  admire  a  True  British  Tar,  still  weep  ovei 
his  too  frequent  thoughtlessness  and  folly. 

Wishing  you,  men  and  lads,  health  and  every  good,  and,  I  say  it  ver] 
seriously,  peace  with  God,  by  repentance  and  faith  in  the  merits  of  on 
Saviour,  for  then  you  will  study  to  "  live  a  godly,  righteous,  and  sobei 
life,"  wherever  you  go, 

I  remain,  Your's  sincerely, 

AMICUS. 


I 

I 


I 


I'HorOSAL  FOR  BSTTKRINO  8EAMI-:\.  4<3 

Culon.  DrMnlwr  I.  IMl. 

"  The  General  Plan  given  in  the  following  Propostd  bejng  approved  of  bf 
some  individuala  to  whom  the  ManuKript  baa  heen  shown,  it  it  now 
printed,  to  make  the  mbject  more  extensively  known,  that  \U  merit*  or 
demerits,  pwcticabilily,  or  impracticability,  may  be  converaed  abaul.  and 
more  distinctly  ascertmned.  Dr.  Morriaon  will  be  bappy  to  receive  the 
written  opinion*,  or  suggestions  of  any  Gemlecnftn  ivbo  is  resident  in,  or 
who  frequents  China,  on  eitber  or  both,  of  [be  subjecta  proposed,  for  the 
benefit  of  any  Committee,  who  may  hereafter  meet  to  deliberate  and 
report  tbereon. 

PROPOSAL    FOR    BETTERING  THE    MORALS  AND  CON- 
DITION OF  SAILORS  IN  CHINA: 

CiQlan,  Chin*,  titptrmbri'  ISth,  ISM. 

At  Wbampoa,  the  andiarage  of  European  ahipa  which  frequent  Chint, 
there  are  annually  from  fifteen  lo  twenty  large  Indiamen ;  and  between 
twenty  and  forty  amalter  veseeU  from  the  United  States.  The  crews  of 
thoae  ships  make  collectively  from  two  to  three  thousand  men,  all  of  whnm 
speak  the  English  language  ;  and  therefore,  under  the  operations  ol  liberal 
and  Cliristian  sentiments,  any  benevolent  efibrta  for  ibe  good  of  these 
men,  whilst  in  Chink,  may  include  both  nations. 

The  asatatance  that  sailors  in  China  require,  is  medical  nltrndanee  fnr 
many  of  them  ;  and  for  all  of  tbem,  instruction  concerning  their  duties  as 
moral  and  religious  beings.  Medical  assistance  is  provided  for  all  the 
Indiamen,  and  for  some  of  the  American  ships,  and  iberelnre  it  only 
remains  to  be  enquired  whether  the  mode  of  communicating  that  aasiat- 
ance  may  nut  be  improved,  so  as  to  make  the  condition  of  lbs  sick  and 
healthy  men  better;  and  the  fatigue  of  the  medical  attendants  leas — that 
is,  whether  a  Floating  Hospital,  to  which  the  sick  men  may  be  removed 
from  their  on'n  ships,  away  from  the  noise  and  bustle  occasioned  by  un- 
loading, and  other  duties  daily  going  on  (  and  what  is  perhaps  of  the  first 
importance,  in  some  complaints  (arising,  as  it  is  supposed,  from  the  local 
circumstances  of  a  particular  ship),  removing  the  Hospital  lo  a  more 
beallby  part  of  the  river.  In  case  of  infectious  diseases  also,  the  Floating 
Hospital  would  remove  tbe  aick  men  from  those  still  in  health. 

Moreover,  ships  do  arrive  frequently  (country  ships  as  well  as  Ame- 
ricans), and  occasionally  the  vessels  of  other  nations,  without  any  medical 
person  on  board ;  and  sometimes  without  any  such  person  at  ^\1lampoa, 
in  those  cases  the  Floating  Hospital,  always  having  a  medical  inan  belong' 
ing  to  it,  would  aflbrd  sucb  relief  us  every  humane  mind  would  be  bappy 
to  avail  itself  of;  and  humanly  speaking,  many  lives  might  Ite  saved 
And  when  death  did  occur,  the  rites  of  sepulture  could  perhaps  Ik  more 
decently  attended  to  by  those  persons  belonging  to  the  Floating  Hoapital, 
than  is  practicable  amidat  the  hurry  of  a  ahip's  duly. 

However,  much  is  done  for  the  seamaa's  health,  and  his  bodily  com- 
fort, hut  little  or  nothing  for  the  improvement  of  bts  mind.     In  soni* 


44  PROPOSAL  FOR  BhTTERlKG  TUB  MORALS 

some  ships,  it  is  true,  prayers  are  read,  which  is  so  far  wdl ;  but  prayers  ai 
not  for  the  instruction  of  the  ignorant ;  but  are  the  language  of  a  perso 
already  instructed,  addressed  to  the  Deity ;  and  hence  it  happens  thi 
hearing  prayers,  but  seldom  reforms  individuals.  Without,  however,  dl 
cussing  this  question,  the  fact  is,  that  thousands  of  seamen,  who,  in  tli 
course  of  a  year  stay  a  shorter  or  longer  time  at  Whampoa,  and.  man 
of  whom  die  there,*  neither  have  prayers  nor  any  kind  of  religious  ii 
struction ;  and  hence  the  Sunday  only  gives  them  leisure  to  get  intozi 
cated  and  quarrel  with  the  Chinese.  A  Floating  Chapel,  with  sermoii 
twice  a  day,  would  furnish  the  means  of  rational  occupation,  and  of  reli 
gious  and  moral  instruction  to  as  many  of  the  seamen  as  choose  to  ava 
themselves  of  it ;  many  of  whom  would  no  doubt  gladly  do  ao,  if  a  piov 
zealous  preacher  addressed  them.  The  benefits  arising  from  such  a 
institution  would  not  only  apply  to  the  individual  sailors  whose  mind 
were  improved ;  but  from  the  more  moral  and  orderly  behaviour  of  tb 
sailors,  which  would  in  all  probability  follow ;  the  interests  of  all  who  trad 
to  China  would  be  subserved,  and  the  respectability  of  foreigners,  in  tfa 
eyes  of  the  Chinese,  would  be  promoted. 

The  Floating  Hospital  and  the  Floating  Chapel,  being  perfectly  uncoi 
nected  with  the  natives ;  and  the  sailors  not  having  to  go  on  shore  wbe 
frequenting  either,  no  opposition  can  be  anticipated  from  the  Chines 
Government,  nor  any  interruption  to  divine  service,  from  the  curiosity,  o 
insolence  of  the  populace. 

The  only  objection  to  the  plan  appears  to  be  the  probable  expense  o 
the  vessels  employed ;  and  of  the  persons  who  shall  perform  the  necessai^ 
duties. 

At  London  on  the  Thames  at  Liverpool,  and  at  Leith,  and  othe 
places,  the  Floating  Chapel  has  been  adopted,  and  been  found  tomeet  tb 
wishes  of  sailors,  and  to  be  useful  to  them.  At  London,  the  Floatini 
.  ■  Hospital  has  been  adopted,  and  met  with  the  approbation  of  His  Majesty* 

'  Government,  and  many  persons  of  distinction  in  the  country. 

The  expense  for  the  Hospital  would  arise  chiefly  from  the  vessel  em 

ployed  ;  for  it  may  be  hoped  that  the  medical  gentlemen  belonging  to  tb 

*  fleet  would  arrange  a  plan  by  which  they  could  attend  the  Hospital  b 

turns,  and  so  have  indeed  more  leisure  than  when  attending  each  his  owi 
ship.  The  expenditure  of  medicines  would  not  be  more  in  one  case  thai 
the  other ;  and  those  ships  which  were  unsupplied  with  a  surgeon,  couli 
not  object  to  pay  a  sum  of  money,  as  they  now  do,  for  the  visits  of  th 
surgeons  of  other  ships. 

The  Chapel  would  of  course  be  an  entirely  new  source  of  expense,  a 
no  means  have  heretofore  been  used  by  the  English  or  Americans,  for  th 
moral  and  religious  instruction  of  their  seamen  in  China.  Some  of  th 
continental  nations,  who  formerly  frequented  China,  had  schoolmastei 
and  chaplains  on  board. 


*  See  end  of  the  Proposal. 


f 


AND  CONDITION  OF  SAILORS  IN  CHINA.  45 

Whether  Chinese  chop-boats  could  be  fitted  up  to  answer  the  pur])ORes 
intended,  and  other  details  of  the  subject,  could  be  ascertained  by  a 
Committe  of  Gentlemen,  well  affected  to  the  general  objects- 

The  Honourable  Company's  Chapel  in  Canton  is  not  of  use  to  the 
sailors,  for  they  are  not  allowed  to  visit  Canton,  excepting  as  boat's 
crews ;  and  the  few  that  happen  to  be  in  Canton  on  Sundays  never  attend 
the  Chapel ;  probably  under  an  idea  that  it  is  not  intended  for  them  but 
for  Gentlemen.    If  they  were  disposed  to  go,  it  could  not  contain  many. 

QUESTIONS  SUBMITTED. 

1.  Are  the  objects  proposed  desirable  or  not?  reasons  for  or  against. 

2.  If  desirable,  what  are  the  best  means  of  effecting  them  ? 

3.  The  difficulties  or  objections  what  ?  how  may  they  be  removed  or 
overcome  ? 

Any  written  opinions  given  will  be  considered  public,  unless  the  writer 
expresses  his  wish  they  should  not  be  so. 

Note. — I.  Captain  W.  of  the  Honorable  Company's  Service,  thinks  the 
average  number  of  deaths  at  Wharopoa,  amongst  the  English  sailors 
annually,  is  one  hundred ;  others  think  the  average  between  one  and  two 
hundred.  In  the  season  1820-21,  a  single  Company's  ship  lost  thirty 
men. 

II.  Instead  of  a  vessel  fitted  up  on  purpose  for  a  Chapel,  the  deck  of 
any  ship  in  the  harbour,  may  at  first  be  borrowed  on  a  Sunday  morning, 
and  if  there  were  service  twice  a  day,  the  deck  of  another  ship,  in  a  dif- 
ferent part  of  the  river  be  employed  in  the  afternoon.  It  is  presumed  that 
there  would  always  be  foimd  Commanders  who  would  be  perfectly  willing 
to  subject  themselves  to  the  slight  inconvenience  which  this  arrangement 
would  occasion,  for  the  sake  of  at  least  making  a  fair  trial  to  improve  the 
morals  of  the  seamen. 

III.  "The  Port  of  London  Society  for  Promoting  Religion  among 
Seamen,"  was  instituted  in  1818.  The  East  India  Company  subscribed 
to  it  £100.  Prince  Leopold  attended  the  Second  Anniversary,  in  May» 
1820. — Highmore's  View  of  Charitable  Institutions, 

On  Dec.  8,  1822,  the  Bethel-flag  was  hoisted  nt  Whampoa,  and  a 
sermon  to  the  sailors  preached  by  Dr.  Morrison. 


.1 

■ 

t 

i 

I 
.i 


46 


■  / 

I 

I  ■ 
I » 


* 


i 


EXPLANATION  OF  THE  TERM  "  CHURCH.-* 

AS  FORMING    AN    APPENDIX  TO  A    81RMON  PREACHED  TO   A    BfIXE 
CONGREGATION,   PROM    VARIOUS   NATIONS,   AND    BELONGING  TO 
OIPPERENT   CHURCHES,  AT  WHAMPOA,  IN  DECEMBER,  1833. 

BY  DR.  MORRISON. 

'.  The  word  church,  in  the  New  Testament,  has  two  significations,  an 

;  only  two.    It  sometimes  means  the  whole  number  of  Christ's  disciplei 

'  or  the  whole  body  of  the  redeemed,  of  all  ages  of  the  world,  bodi  in  heare 

and  on  earth ;  hence,  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  we  read  of  *'  tb 
f  general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first-born."    And  in  the  Ajcts  of  tli 

r  Apostles  it  is  said,  "  the  Lord  added  to  ^e  church  daily  such  as  should  li 

saved."    The  only  other  sense  of  the  word  church  denotes  a  single  coi 
'  gregation  of  professed  beUevers  in  Christ  Jesus,  assembling  in  one  pfatc 

I  JFor  religious  worship,  and  the  observance  of  ,the  institutions  of  Chrisi 

Such,  for  example,  was  the  church  at  or  in  Jerusalem,  Antioch,  Ephesui 
Corinth,  Pbilippi,  and  other  places.  When  more  than  one  congregatio 
is  intended,  the  word  church  is  not  used,  but  the  plural,  churches. 

Thus,  in  the  passage  of  Sacred  Writ,  to  which  the  preceding  sermoi 

refers,  there  were  seven  churches  in  Asia  minor,  which  was  no  very  larg 

'  territory ;  and  there  were,  beside,  a  great  many  other  churches  in  differen 

parts  of  the  Roman  empire.     Hence  we  read — "Then  had  the  churche 
^  rest  throughout  all  Judea,  and  Galilee,  and  Samaria."    But  we  never  reai 

that  the  Apostles  thought  of  uniting  them  under  one  authority.  Nor  doe 
our  Saviour  intimate,  in  the  solemn  admonitions  and  warnings  which  b 
gives  to  the  seven  churches,  that  any  one  ought  to  be  under  the  controa 
of  another,  although  they  were  in  the  sams  region  or  neighbourhood,  aiM 
under  the  same  government. 

Dr.  Campbell,  in  his  Lectures  on  Eccl.  Hist,  says — "  In  any  interme 
diate  sense  between  a  single  congregation,  and  the  whole  community  o 
Christians,  not  one  instance  can  be  brought  of  the  application  of  the  won 
church  in  sacred  writ.  We  speak  now  indeed — and  this  has  been  th 
manner  for  ages — of  the  Gallican  church,  the  Gredc  church,  the  chureh  c 
England,  and  the  church  of  Scotland,  as  of  societies,  independent  vu 
]  ■  complete  in  themselves.     But  such  phraseology  was  never  adopted  in  th 

days  of  the  Apostles.  They  did  not  say  the  church  of  Asia,  or  the  churd 
of  Macedonia,  or  the  church  of  Achaia ;  but  the  churches  of  God  « 
Asia,  the  churches  in  Macedonia,  the  churches  in  Achaia.  The  plun 
number  is  invariably  used,  when  more  congregations  than  one  are  spokei 
of,  unless  the  subject  be  of  the  whole  commonwealth  of  Christ.  Nor  i 
this  the  manner  of  the  penmen  of  sacred  writ  only ;  it  is  the  constan 
usage  of  the  term  also  in  the  writings  of  ecclesiastical  authors,  for  the  tw 
first  centuries."     Again  : 


r 


kxplanatiox  of  tiir  term  church. 


47 


^ 


Th«  injunctions  given  by  our  Saviour,  and  tlie  approvt^il  practice  of  tlie 
primiuve  churches,  as  recorilcd  in  Ibe  New  'IVMaroenl,  show  a  churcli 
meant  one  congregaliuu.  Our  Lord  nays,  in  Matt,  xviii.  16 — 17.  "  K  iby 
lirullier  trCBpass  against  thee,  go  and  tell  liim  liii  fault  betiveen  him  unil 
atone :  if  he  ahaU  hear  tliee,  tliou  hast  gained  ihy  brother.  Bui  if  lia 
will  not  hear  thee,  then  take  with  [h«e  one  or  two  mure,  tb»l  in  the  niuutll 
three  witnesses,  everj  wont  may  ba  establiiiheit.  And  if  lie  «Iib11 
neglect  to  hear  ifaem,  tell  it  unto  tlie  church ;  but  if  he  ne||[lect  to  Iirar  the 
church,  let  him  be  to  thee  a«  as  »  heathen  man  and  a  piihlican" — that  is, 
who  baa  renounced  his  Chriclianity.  Nnw,  it  cnuiiot  be  iiU|i]iosed, 
that  every  private  quarrel  was  to  be  made  a  national  affair,  while  it  might, 
with  ease,  tte  referred  to  a  congregation  of  Oiristisn  iieopic ;  therefore,  it 
appears  manifest,  that  by  the  word  church,  our  Sariour  meant  the  congre- 
gation of  Christian  people  to  which  the  parlies  belonged. 

The  most  Important  parts  of  Christian  discipline — auch  as  the  cliuiCH  of 
officers,  receiving  memberi,  excluding  those  members  whose  acts  ore  un- 
worthy of  the  Chrlhtian  cliaracler.  and  realorinft  excluded  membere  who 
have  became  penitent — these  are  enjoined  as  the  duty  of  tlie  whole  church 
resident  in  anyplace;  which  arrangement  shows  cliat.byacburch,  aslngte 
congregation  is  intended. 

Another  material  circumstance  connected  with  the  primitive  churches  is, 
that  each  church  was  independent  of  any  external  authority.  It  was  com- 
petent to  the  maoagement  of  all  its  own  affairs.  The  Saviour  himself,  as 
made  known  hj  bis  jiersonal  ministry,  or  in  the  Gospels,  and  by  the  per- 
■onal  instructions  and  letters  of  the  Apostles,  was  the  authority  to  which 
every  church  »'b«  required  to  be  subject.  But  no  one  churcli  was  to  be 
subject  to  another.  Moahelm,  in  his  Church  History,  says — "The  churches 
in  those  early  timea,  were  entirely  independent ;  none  of  them  subject  to 
u>y  roreign  juriidictioo  j  hut  every  one  governed  by  its  own  rulers,  and 
ila  own  laws."  And  agiuu,  "  All  the  churches  of  the  first  century,  though 
closely  connected  by  the  bonds  of  faith  and  love ;  and  most  ready  mutually 
to  perform  every  duty  to  one  another,  possessed,  nevertheless,  the  right  of 
jurisdiction,  and  governed  themselves  without  foreign  aasiatance  or  any 
external  authority.  No  where,  either  in  the  Scriptures  or  in  other  records, 
is  any  thing  to  be  found,  from  which  it  can  be  understood,  that  some 
churches  dejiended  on  the  command  and  will  of  other  churches,  which  were 
greater  and  more  renownedi  on  llie  contrary,  many  things  occur,  which 
make  it  most  evident,  that  they  all  had  the  sauie  authority,  and  were  en- 
tirely similar  and  equal  to  one  another.'' 

Gibbon  says,  "The  (ChrisliaD)  societies— or  churches— which  were  in- 
stituted in  tlie  cities  of  the  Roman  empire,  were  united  only  by  ties  of  faith 
Uid  charity." 

A  church,  in  primitive  times,  was  a  aociety  or  association  of  Chriatian 
men  for  religious  purjMiaes,  with  officers  chosen  by  the  society,  from  RrnonK 
themselves,  to  carry  the  objectc  of  the  associaUon  Into  effect.  A  Chrisiiaa 
■Dciety.  or  churcb,  ili<l  not  differ  materially  from  modern  literary  and 
epting  in  its  object ;  which  was,  to  oliserve  the  in- 


I 

* 


I  » 
( 

* 

I 


48  EXPLAJ^ATION  OF  THE  TERM  CHURCH. 

stitutions  of  their  Divine  master ;  asust  each  other  in  learning  his  doctrinei 
obeying  his  precepts,  and  adding  to  the  number  of  his  disciples.  The« 
little  societies  or  churches,  commonly  meeting  at  first  in  private  housei 
soon  became  numerous  throughout  the  Roman  empire.  Those  already  i 
existence  assisted  at  the  formation  of  new  societies ;  and,  being  formec 
each  had  the  right  of  admitting  or  excluding  members.  Religion  wa 
essential  to  membership.  It  would  have  been  as  incongruous  for  an  irrc 
ligious  man  to  be  a  member  of  one  of  these  Chrisdan  churches,  as  for 
a  man  who  cannot  read  to  be  a  member  of  a  literary  society. 

It  is  manifest  that,  in  primitive  times^  these  churches  or  societies  g 
Christians  never  thought  of  asking  the  government  to  incorporate  them 
or  grant  them  civil  privileges,  or  chartered  rights.  To  be  protected  fron 
violence,  and  be  allowed  to  diffuse  their  religious  principles,  which  are  evi 
dently  favoiu^ble  to  morality  and  social  order — was  all  that  they  wished  for 

This  simple  and  apostolical  system,  however,  was  eventually  departe< 
from;  at  first  by  the  ambition  of  more  opulent  churches  and  their  officers 
and,  at  last,  in  consequence  of  the  professed  conversion  of  the  £ra]>eroi 
Constantine.  From  that  time  to  the  present  a  perfectly  anti.prmitive  aoc 
unapostolic  system  has  been  tried.  It  has  been  attempted  to  force  all  the 
people  of  a  nation  to  be  of  one  church,  or  to  form  them  into  one  religiooi 
society ;  and  it  has  also  been  attempted  to  force  all  the  Christian  sodeties 
in  the  world  to  submit  to  one  authority.  The  attempt  has  canted  nvtn 
of  blood  to  flow,  but  it  has  been  in  vain ;  and  never  was  it  faithcr  from 
accomplishment  than  at  this  present  moment,  for  it  was  not  sanctioned  by 
apostolic  practice,  nor  by  the  authority  of  the  Saviour,  as  we  have  seen 
above,  by  a  brief  review  of  the  primitive  churches. 

About  two  centuries  ago,  a  return  to  the  primitive'  system  of  congrega- 
tional churches  commenced  in  England,  and  has  since  spread  considerabijr 
in  that  and  other  countries.  If  the  purity  of  a  church  consists  not  only 
in  the  strict  adherence  to  the  doctrines  and  precepts  of  the  Gospel,  bat 
also  in  the  religious  and  moral  character  of  its  members,  it  is  manifest  that 
the  primitive  congregational  plan  of  churches  has  many  advantages  for 
effecting  that  end,  over  what  are  called  national  churches,  in  which,  it  is 
confessed.  Christian  discipline  is  impracticable. 

The  form  of  the  primitive  churches  has  also  greatly  the  advantage  for 
universal  diffusion  among  all  nations — in  such  a  nation  as  China,  for 
example,  where  the  state  is  hostile  to  Christianity.  The  primitive  plan, 
having  less  of  combination,  than  the  other  forms  of  churches  which  exist 
in  the  world,  is  less  calculated  to  give  the  state  just  cause  of  appre- 
hension. 

The  following  may  be  taken  as  a  summary  of  the  principles  of  congre- 
gational churches  in  Great  Britain  and  America.    They  maintain, 

1 .  The  sufficiency  and  exclusive  authority  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  as  a 
rule  of  faith  and  practice. 

2.  Christian  churches  are  spiritual,  or  religious  associations,  being  con- 
gregations of  believers  in  Christ,  united  by  voluntary  consent,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  mutual  edification,  and  the  spread  of  the  Gospel. 


TII£    TERM    CHURCH.  4U 

3.  From  their  nnture  and  dealgn  they  neither  desire  the  alliance,  nor  can 
they  submit,  in  religious  matters,  to  the  controul  of  political  governments, 

4.  'I'he  officers  of  such  churches  Eire,  bUbops,  otlicrwise  called  pres- 
byters or  pastors,  and  deacons.  The  biiihaps  are  not  the  overseers  of  many 
ministers  and  churches,  but  pastors  of  one  church :  the  deacons  are  ap- 
pointed cbieSy  to  attend  to  the  temporal  concerns  of  the  church. 

5.  The  officers  of  the  church  are  to  be  chosen  by  tlio  whole  body  of  the 
members,  and  ordained  by  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  existing  bishops 
or  presbyters. 

6.  The  pastor  or  bishop  is  lo  be  supported  hythe  voluntary  offerings  of 
the  members  of  the  church. 

7.  The  government  and  discipline  of  the  church,  according  to  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  New  Testament,  are  entirely  within  itself. 

S.  The  admission  and  exclusion  of  members  belongs  to  the  n'hole  body 
of  the  church,  with  the  pastor  and  deacons,  and  not  to  these  officers  alone. 

9.  The  public  ordinances,  or  institutions  appointed  by  the  Lord  Jesus, 
to  be  observed  in  all  his  churches  are,  baptism,  the  Lord's  day,  the  Lord's 
supper,  and  discipline — i.  e.  lo  atregthen  the  weak,  lo  guide  the  erring, 
to  admonish  the  wavering,  to  reprove  the  perverse,  to  e.xclude  the  vicious, 
to  restore  the  penitent,  to  bear  each  others'  burdens,  and  so  fulfil  the  laiv 
of  Christ. 

10.  The  duties  of  members  of  christian  churches  are  to  endeavour  to 
promote  religion  aad  virtue  iu  their  owu  hearts — at  home  in  their  own 
families — in  their  native  land — and  throughout  the  world }  to  cherish  bro- 
therly love,  to  exercise  kindness  totrards  each  other,  and  manifest  charity 
towards  all  men. 


These  churches  have  been  asked,  in  tbe  language  of  ihe  chief  priests  at 
Jerusalem,  to  our  Saviour,  "  By  what  authority  doeet  thou  these  things ! 
and  who  gave  thee  this  authority }"  And  they  have  imitated  the  answer  of 
our  Lord,  when  he  replied — "  Tbe  baptism  of  John,  whence  was  it  i — from 
heaven  or  of  men  P" — ihey  have  tud  the  pious  and  holy  dispositions ;  the 
desire  lo  obey  Christ;  the  abihty  to  teach  Christianity i  the  success  in 
converting  sinners  from  tbe  error  of  their  ways ;  which  these  churches 
and  [heir  officers  have  possessed,  and  with  which  they  have  been  blessed — 
were  these  from  beaven  or  of  men  ? — answer  us,  and  we  also  will  tell  you 
by  what  authority  we  do  these  things. 

They  believe  in  fact,  that  where  tbe  Saviour  grants  his  Holy  Spirit  (o 
form  sincere  disciples,  who  study  his  gospel,  make  it  the  foundation  of 
tbeir  hopes  and  the  rule  of  their  lives,  and  who  desire  to  keep  all  his 
commandmeots  and  observe  aU  his  institutions,  and  bis  only,  without  ad- 
dition or  diminution — these  persona  being  formed  into  a  church,  have  his 
authority,  although  the  chief  priests,  already  in  existence,  in  various  nations 
of  the  world,  acknowledge  tbcm  not. 

They  reason  as  Peter  did,  when  he  was  blamed  for  admitting  the  Gentiles 
into  fellowship  with  the  Jewish  converts.    He  himself  was  disposed  to 


50  EXPLANATION    OF   THE  TERM   CHUBCH. 

consider  them  "  common  and  unclean :"  but  the  voice  answered  again 
from  heaven ;  "  What  God  hath  cleansed  call  not  thou  common.*'  The 
gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit  were  granted  to  Gentile  believers  as  well  as  to  Jews. 
"  Forasmuch  then  (argued  Peter;  as  God  gave  them  the  like  gift,  as  ha 
did  unto  us  who  believed  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  what  was  I,  that  I 
could  withstand  God  ?*' 

The  Saviour  "  ascended  up  hr  above  all  heavens,  and  he  gave  some, 
apostles;  some,  prophets;  some,  evangelists;  and  some,  pastors  and 
teachers,  for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  for 
the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ ;"  that  is,  of  all  the  churches.  Were 
there  any  persons  on  earth  now  who  possessed  the  miraculous  powers 
which  the  apostles  did,  preached  the  same  doctrines,  and  lived  the  same 
holy  lives  which  they  did,  congregational  churches  would  gladly  acknow- 
ledge, under  Christ,  their  Apostolic  authority  in  all  churches ;  but  they 
know  of  no  such  persons.  With  the  first  Apostles  the  office  ceased ;  and 
the  Lord  Jesus  has  no  representative  on  earth ;  nor  does  he  require  any. 
He  himself  is  the  sole  head  of  his  church.  And  those  who  believe  and  obey 
him  have  his  authority ;  but  those  who  add  to,  or  diminish  from,  what  he 
taught ;  who  "  preach  another  Gospel ;"  who  decree  rites  and  ceremonies 
which  he  decreed  not,  although  they  were  ''angels  from  heaven,"  have  not 
his  authority  for  what  they  do,  whatever  they  may  pretend,  or  with  what- 
ever learning,  or  wealth,  or  pomp,  or  power,  they  may  enforce  their  claims. 


Wherever  there  are  a  few  disciples  of  the  Lord  Jesus  living  in  one 
neighbourhood,  they  ought  to  form  themselves  into  a  christian  'sodety  or 
church,  for  mutual  help  and  edification ;  as  well  as  for  di£fusing  christiaii 
principles.  The  smallness  of  their  niunber,  or  the  want  of  an  appropriate 
building  to  meet  in,  are]  not  sufficient  objections.  They  have  the  opinion 
of  Tertullian^  a  Latin  father  of  the  second  century,  and  presbyter  of  a 
church  at  Carthage,  that  "  Ubi  tres,  eccksia  est,  licet  Unci."  Wheresoever 
three  are  gathered  together  (in  the  name  of  the  Lord)  there  is  a  church, 
although  there  be  none  but  the  laity.  But  they  have  a  still  better  authority, 
for  Jesus  has  said,  "  Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  my  wm#>, 
there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them."  Matt,  zviii.  20.  And  they  have  Apos- 
tolic authority  for  calling  a  few  Christians,  assembled  in  a  private  house, 
a  church.  St.  Paiil  says, "  Salute  Nymphas,  and  the  church  which  is  in  his 
house,"  which  assembled  in  his  house.  Rom.  xvi.  23.  Christians  are  ad* 
monished  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  not  to  forsake  the  assembling  of 
themselves  together  for  religious  purposes.  And  in  the  prophecies  of 
Malachi  there  is  a  gracious  declaration  of  theAlmighty|to  encourage  them. 
"  Then  they  that  feared  the  Lord  spake  often  one  to  another :  and  the  Loid 
hearkened  and  heard  it,  and  a  book  of  remembrance  was  written  before 
him  for  them  that  feared  the  Lord,  and  that  thought  upon  his  name.  And 
they  shall  be  mine,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  in  that  day  when  I  make  up  my 
jewels ;  and  I  will  spare  them,  as  a  man  spareth  his  own  son  that  serveth 
him."  Mai.  iii.  16,  17. 


CRITICAL  NOTICES 
or 

DR.  MORRISON'S   LITERARY    LABOURS; 

BY  S.  KIDD, 

PROFB880R  OP  TUB  CHINBSB  LAKOUAOB  AND  LITBEATUBB,  IN  UNITBBSXTr  OOLLBOB. 

It  will  be  generally  conceded,  that  those  who  attempt  the 
melioration  of  the  human  species  need  not  only  much  wisdom, 
but  talents  and  acquirements  corresponding  to  the  social  position 
occupied  by  the  objects  of  their  solicitude.  Nor  will  any  one, 
conversant  with  the  intellectual  and  moral  phenomena  of  man 
under  various  modifications,  doubt  that  to  ensure  the  probability 
of  success  in  any  benevolent  enterprise,  especially  that  whose  pur- 
poses arc  purely  religious,  orders  of  mind  and  grades  of  attainment 
suited  to  his  peculiar  wants  should  be  combined,  in  its  original 
agents,  with  corresponding  aptitude  in  the  character  of  the  means 
employed  to  effect  it  A  Christian  mission,  formed  among  barbar- 
ous tribes,  requires  the  introduction  of  the  arts  and  usages  of 
civilized  life,  as  accompanying  witnesses  to  its  utility  and  excel, 
lence ;  that  such  proofs  of  superiority,  in  procuring  present  com- 
forts, may  produce  an  impression,  on  the  minds  of  Pagans,  favour- 
able to  the  Gospel.  But  in  the  cultivated  provinces  and  civilized 
kingdoms  of  the  East,  preparatory  operations,  of  a  mental  and  scho- 
lastic character,  ought  to  be  substituted  for  the  physical  and  manual 
efforts  required  in  the  islands  of  the  Pacific,  or  on  the  continent  of 
Africa.  Sufficient  knowledge  of  the  arts  is  possessed  by  the  natives 
to  procure  the  necessaries  of  life,  and  many  of  its  enjoyments,  with- 
out the  aid  of  the  European  mechanic  or  agriculturist:  their  pre- 
judices, therefore,  can  only  be  conciliated  through  the  medium  of 
literature  and  general  science ;  by  acquiring  what  constitutes  with 
them  a  learned  education ;  and  communicating,  in  return,  some  of 
the  treasures  of  European  science.  Both  cases  involve  the  same 
principle — that  of  adaptation  to  the  moral  and  physical  wants  of 
different  branches  of  the  human  family.  So  congenial  is  the  no- 
tion of  utility  to  the  common  feelings  of  our  nature,  that  claims 
preferred  on  this  ground,  generally  meet  with  public  approba- 
tion and  support:  and  yet  it  is  a  remarkable  fact,  which  proves 
how  inadequate  the  ideas  of  many  Christians  still  are  on  this 
subject,  that  while  assistance  is  liberally  afforded  to  conciliate 
uncultivated  tribes  to  Christianity,  by  means  of  their  civiliza- 
tion, it  is  most  difficult  to  awaken  efforts,  which  should  be  equally 

A 


2  CRITICAL  NOTICES  OF 

generous,  though  of  a  different   order,  on  behalf  of   Pagans   al- 
ready  civilized;     for    what  but  deep  prejudice,  or    inexcusable 
ignorance,  would  prescribe  the   same  means  of  melioration   for 
nations  whose  intellectual  endowments,  and  moral  circumstances, 
possess  scarcely  any  characteristics  in  common  ?    The  eastern  part 
of  the  world,  where  all  the  philosophy  and  literature  known  to  the 
ancients  originated,  and  where  those  divine  phenomena  occurred 
which  distinguished  the  patriarchal.   Mosaic,  and   prophetic  dis- 
pensations, though  its  moral  and  political  condition  be   most  de- 
graded, furnishes  a  population  far  superior  in  numbers,  manners, 
literature,  mental  pursuits,  physical  habits,  and  general  civilization, 
to  those  descendants  of  the  earlier  emigrants,  who   now  occupy 
distant  continents,  and  remote   islands  of  the  ocean.      Moreover, 
since  the  world  is  no  great  age,  there  must  exist,  between  the 
countries   of  the  further  east,   moral   characteristics  of  mutual 
similarity,  which,  when  truth  has  made  a  favourable  impression  on 
one  kingdom,  will  afford  numerous  facilities  for  its  transmission 
to  another,  until  neighbouring  regions  are  all  brought  under  its 
dominion.      Christianity,  revealed  for  the  benefit  of  the  whole 
world,  and  adapted  to  the  universal  design  of  its  sacred  Author, 
secures  also  the  temporal  well-being  of  man;  for,  wherever  it  pre- 
vails without  modification,  obstruction,  or  limitation,  even  if  the 
heart  remain  unaffected,  it  unfetters  the  understanding  and  elevates 
the  moral  character,  by  opening  sources  of  information  on  varioui 
important  subjects,  to  which  no  access  could  otherwise  be  obtained. 
The  harmonious  and  sublime  sentiments  of  revelation,  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  grovelling  contradictory  notions  propagated  by  system! 
of  human  invention,  cannot  but  exert  a  renovating  influence  on 
the  minds  and  morals  of  the  human  species  with  whom  it  comes  in 
contact,  and  eminently  contribute  to  the  improvement  of  their  phy- 
sical condition.     Since,  however,  it  guards  its  peculiar  privilegef 
with  the  most  fearful  penal  sanctions,  and  denounces  every  method 
of  salvation,  but  its  own,  as  pregnant  with  eternal  ruin,  nations  like 
China,  may  be  expected,  from  the  pride  of  long  cherished  super- 
stitions, and  the  force  of  depraved  habits,  determinately  to  reject 
it ;  and  since  human  nature  can  never  originate  acquiescence  in 
doctrines  subversive  of  its  own  dearest  principles,  prejudice  must 
be  removed,  and  opposition  disarmed,  by  the  exhibition  of  those 
temporal  benefits  wliich,  flowing  from  Christianity,  are  subsidiary  to 
its  promotion,  and  perfectly  compatible  with  its  spirit.  The  oiiginsl 
propagators  of  Divine  Truth,  were  endued  with  miraculous  power 
to  minister  to  the  temporal  necessities  of  men,  in  proof  of  the  per- 
fect benevolence  of  their  object ;    nor  were  superior  intellectual 


DR.   MORRIBOn'S  literary  LABOURS.  3 

and  literary  endowments  wanting,  to  render  their  system  of  means 
complete :  but  what  was  then  furnished  supematiirally,  must  now, 
as  far  as  it  is  required,  be  communicated  through  ordinary  agency. 
The  first  missionary  to  a  Pagan  country  will  inquire  into  the  modi- 
fications of  human  nature  with  which  he  is  surrounded,  arising 
from  the  influence  of  civil,  social,  political,  superstitious,  or  literary 
distinctions,  with  the  view  of  better  promoting  the  ultimate  end  of 
his  mission.  In  the  commencement  of  labours,  the  scene  of  which 
is  distant,  and  previously  but  little  known,  mistakes  will  occur  in 
matters  of  detail,  which  experience  alone  can  correct;  but  there 
are  certain  principles,  applicable  to  every  sphere  of  operation, 
which  ought  to  be  adopted  for  general  guidance. 

The  purpose  of  Dr.  Morrison*s  important  embassy  to  China 
could  not  have  been  accomplished,  without  an  accurate  and  exten- 
sive knowledge  of  the  Chinese  language,  then  but  little  cultivated, 
and  scarcely  thought  to  be  attainable  within  a  limited  period.  Its 
dissimilarity  to  other  tongues  rendered  native  aid  essential  to  its 
acquisition,  while  the  restrictions  placed  by  the  Chinese  Govern- 
ment on  native  agency  made  it  difficult  to  obtain.  The  disinclina- 
tion of  the  people  to  conmiunicate  with  foreigners,  their  haughty, 
superstitious,  unyielding  spirit,  were  circumstances  too  that 
considerably  obstructed  the  Doctor's  earlier  efforts  to  master 
the  language.  Difficulties  of  a  yet  more  formidable  character 
arose  from  an  ancient  aversion  to  other  doctrines  than  those  of 
their  sages,  as  likely  to  corrupt  the  public  mind,  and  alienate  its 
affections  from  the  government  From  the  dependence  of  the 
principal  system  of  Chinese  ethics  on  the  ordinances  of  the  State, 
the  rulers  of  China  are  induced  to  look  with  extreme  jealousy  on 
efforts  to  introduce  a  new  code  of  morals,  or  a  different  form  of 
religion,  as  originating  entirely  in  political  motives.  Such  dis- 
couragements  and  difficulties,  with  the  time  occupied  by  secidar 
duties,  must  be  taken  into  the  account,  if  we  would  correctly 
estimate  the  extent  of  Dr.  Morrison*s  labours.  The  question  is 
not  what  might  be  accomplished  with  helps  derivable  from  the 
experience  of  thirty  years,  but  what  has  been  done  by  the  jfirst 
Protestant  Missionary  among  a  people  of  such  associations  and 
habits  as  those  of  the  Chinese  f 

This  inquiry  will  jierhaps  be  best  answered  by  arranging  the 
works  of  Dr.  Morrison  in  the  following  order.  First,  His  Dic- 
tionary. Secondly,  His  Translation  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures. 
Thirdly,  His  minor  publications  of  a  literary,  philological,  and 
religious  nature. 

First.  The  Chinese  Dictionary.     In  composing  a  Dictionary  of 

A  2 


f  4  CRITICAL    NOTICES   OF 

whatever  language,  sound  and  sense  constitute  the  chief  object 
of  attention,  while  tlie  arrangement  of  the  words  will  depend  on  it 
peculiar  character.      If  alphabetic,  the  order  of  the   alphabet  i 

j  uniformly  found  the  most  convenient  mode;  but  if  symbolical,  liki 

the  Chinese,  a  classification  must  be  sought  in  agreement  with  it 
principles  and  structure.  It  so  happened,  from  the  literary  taste  o 
the  Chinese,  and  their  admiration  of  their  own  symbols,  that  agei 

•  before  Dr.  Morrison  commenced  his  philological  labours,  nativi 

I  Dictionaries  and  treatises  on  the  language,  composed  bj  men  o 

I  the  first  attainments  and  ability,  had  issued  from  the  press,  whereb] 

an  experiment  was  made  on  the  best  mode  of  arranging  its  symbols 

I  and  tracing  their  etymological  import.   In  the  earlier  Dictionaries 

such  as  the  Liih-shoo,  'six  modes  of  i%Titing;'    the  Shwd-wSn 

)  *  expositor  of  elegant  literature;*    and  the  Yuh-peen,     'page  0 

diamonds,*   the  meaning  of  the  words  was  chiefly  regarded ;  bui 

f  this  arrangement  proved  inconvenient  for  finding  the  character,  ami 

therefore  the  Emperor  Kang-hc  devised  a  plan,  which  should  com- 
bine facility  of  reference  with  as  much  of  the  ancient  system  ai 

.  was  practicable.     This  Dictionary  is  the  basis  of  Dr.  Morrison  s; 

and,  notwithstanding  its  admitted  defects,  it  is  the  best  native  pro- 

'  duction  of  the  kind.     It  is  a  compilation  from  the  highest  authori- 

ties, which  occupied  thirty  persons  five  years  under  the  directidi 
of  the  Emperor,  whose  name  it  bears,  and  who  commanded  then 
"  to  leave  no  symbol  uninterpreted,  and  to  omit  no  sound." 

k  Dr.   Morrison  in  his  preface  to  his  own  work  says:    **Of  thu 

following  Dictionary,  Eang-he's  Tsze-t^n  forms  the  ground-work 
the  arrangement  and  number  of  characters,  in  the  first  part,  arc 
according  to  it.  The  definitions  and  examples  are  derived  chieflj 
from  it,  from  personal  knowledge  of  the  use  of  the  character,  from 
the  manuscript  Dictionaries  of  the  Romish  church,  from  natin 
scholars,  and  from  miscellaneous  works  perused  on  piupose."* 

In  works  on  the  Chinese  language  by  native  scholars,  the 
characters  are  arranged,  either  according  to  their  sense  and  com- 
position, or  by  classing  together  those  of  the  same  terminatioiL 
The  superiority  of  Kang-he*s  Dictionary  consists  in  greater  facilitici 
of  reference  to  the  character,  and  a  fuller  exposition  of  its  meaning. 
The  more  ancient  ones,  without  any  definite  mode  of  tracing  woidi 
to  their  primitives,  principally  expound  the  sense;  so  that  heads  ol 
classes,  under  which  all  the  symbols  are  disposed,  were  formed  ol 
several  genera  derived  from  the  following  sources:  1.  A  single 
line,  indicative  of  tlie  system  on  which  tlie  origin  of  the  universe  ifl 

•   Vol.  I.  Part.  I. 


DR.  Morrison's  litbrary  labours.  5 

explained  :  2,  Celestial  objects  or  phenomena ;  as  the  sky,  aerial 
influences,  the  sun,  moon,  stars,  clouds,  rain,  and  thunder:  3, 
Terrestrial  objects  and  productions ;  as  the  soil,  vegetation,  water, 
metal,  hills  and  rivers:  4,  Man,  in  his  intellectual  and  physical 
capacity,  including  the  operations  of  the  understanding,  the  affec- 
tions of  the  heart,  with  their  correlative  influences,  and  the  organs 
and  functions  of  the  human  body:  5,  Moving  creatures,  which 
comprehend  several  of  the  principal  species  of  animals  known  to 
the  Chinese:  6,  Things  that  are  straight;  as  trees,  herbs,  plants: 
7,  Productions  of  human  labour:  and,  lastly,  symbols  not  reducible 
to  any  particular  class,  or  whose  classification  is  undetermined.  The 
number  of  these  primitives  in  the  Liih-shoo,  is  four  hundred  and 
seventy -nine ;  in  the  Shw6-w&n,  five  hundred  and  forty;  and  in  the 
Yiih-pgen,  five  hundred  and  forty-two;  but  in  the  arrangement 
of  Kang-he,  which  Dr.  Morrison  has  adopted,  the  elements  of  the 
language  are  reduced  to  two  hundred  and  fourteen,  and  disposed  in 
order  according  to  the  number  of  strokes  required  to  form  them, 
from  one  to  seventeen,  under  which,  in  a  similar  manner,  all  the 
compounded  symbols  of  the  language  are  arranged ;  number  con- 
stituting the  order  of  succession  with  the  Chinese,  in  their  philolo- 
gical as  well  as  metaphysical  systems ;  so  that  to  ascertain  the 
root  of  a  character,  and  accurately  number  its  strokes,  exclusive  of 
the  root,  are  the  preliminaries  to  an  acquaintance  with  its  sound 
and  meaning. 

Tiie  number  of  characters,  explained  in  Morrison*6  Dictionary, 
is  about  forty  thousand.  The  whole  work  is  divided  into  three 
parts ;  part  the  first,  containing  Chinese  and  English  arranged  ac-* 
cording  to  the  radicals;  part  the  second,  Chinese  and  English 
disposed  alphabetically,  according  to  the  English  mode  of  pro- 
nunciation ;  part  the  third,  English  and  Chinese. 

The  first  part  occupies  three  quarto  volumes,  comprising  two 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  twenty-two  pages.  It  is  in  this 
part  only,  that  the  principle  of  arrangement,[adoptcd  in  the  Imperial 
Dictionary  has  been  followed.  Persons  unacquainted  with  Chinese 
will  observe,  from  the  interpretation  of  the  radicals  in  English,  that 
some  admit  of  much  fuller  explication  than  others ;  as  n^  Sin  '  the 

heart,'  the  primitive,  not  only  of  words  that  refer  to  the  varied 
emotions  and  affections  of  the  human  breast,  but  also  the  intellec- 
tual, physical,  and  moral  properties  of  man ;  since  42  Sin,  origi- 
nally designed  to  be  a  resemblance  of  the  physical  organ,  includes, 
with  whatever  is  dependent  on  it  in  physiology,  the  notion  of 
mind  and  heart  in  their  intellectual,  pathological,  and  moral  senses, 
in  each  of  which,  several  characters  derived  from  it  admit  of  ex- 


6  CRITICAL  NOTICES   OF 

tended  illustration;  :4^  Show,  'a  hand/  is  important  as  the  basis  o^ 

symbols  referring  to  manual  and  mechanical  labour^  handicTafl  of 
any  kind,  dexterity,  the  fine  arts,  power,  authority,  and  geneial 
exertion.  Other  roots  of  less  extensive  signification  derive  im- 
portance from  the  symbols  with  which  they  stand  connected ;  as 
^^  Meen,  *to  collect,'  is  the  primitive  of  ij!  Yu,  *  a  canopy/  an 
ancient  designation  of  the  universe;  of  ^  Show,  •to  protect;*  of 
^Gan,  *rest,  peace;'  of^^  Sung,  the  name  of  a  celebrated  dy- 
nasty,  of  *b]  Kwan,  *  an  officer  of  government;'  of^^  Kea  *  a  &mily,' 

and  of  ^^  Foo,'  riches,' with  many  more  which  cannot  now  be  enume- 
rated. Since  the  root  Meen  is  only  the  fortieth,  and  closes  the  first 
volume,  containing  nine  hundred  and  thirty  quarto  pages— a  third 
of  the  whole  first  part,  there  is  of  course  more  copious  explanation 
of  many  characters  derived  from  those  forty  radicals,  than  of  the 
symbols  formed  from  the  remaining  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
four,  in  the  second  and  third  volumes :  a  circumstance  to  be  ac- 
counted for  partly  from  the  importance  of  the  subjects  embraced; 
partly,  perhaps,  from  the  fear  of  making  the  work  too  voluminous; 
and  partly  from  the  diminution  of  physical  strength  occasioned  by 
such  labour  in  a  foreign  climate.  While  several  important  symboli 
in  the  other  volumes  are  less  diffiisely  illustrated,  there  are  none 
more  closely  connected  with  the  chief  moral,  political,  and  philoso- 
phical sentiments  of  the  Chinese,  or  with  their  religions,  super- 
stitious, and  ceremonial  observances,  than  those  which  are  con- 
tained in  this  volume;  and  in  order  to  give  the  general  reader  some 
idea  of  the  care  and  labour  bestowed  on  it,  I  shall  give  a  brief 
analysis  of  its  contents.  It  furnishes  an  explanation  of  words 
in  common  use,  with  the  forms  of  many  obsolete  characters,  derived 
from  the  forty  primitives,  which  begin  with  YTh,  of  one  stroke, 
and  end  with  *-S  M^n  of  three,  inclusive.  Yih  means  one,  oneness, 
entirety,  individuality,  partitiveness,  priority,  undivided  essence, 
the  beginning  of  numbers,  and  the  source  of  material  objects,  of 
which  various  illustrations  are  quoted  from  the  best  authors, 
accompanied  with  expositions  of  important  theories  deduced  from 
metaphysical,  mythological,  and  ethical  speculations.  The  follow- 
ing extracts  from  the  Taou-tih-king,  under  this  word,  illustrate  the 
sentiments  of  the  Philosophical  Sect*  on  the  origin  of  the  universe. 
*'  They  (the  Chinese)  appear  sometimes  to  denote  by  it  the  first 
physical  cause ;    as  *  to  ofler  kine  in  sacrifice  to  the  Three  Ones, 

*  The  founder  of  this  Sect  flourished  B.  C    500,  and    was  contemponry 
with  Confucius. 


DR<  Morrison's  literary  labours.  7 

which  they  explain  thus :  *  Heaven  is  one,  the  Earth  is  one,  and  Tae 
is  one,'  which  last  is  said  to  bo  *  the  original  influence  or  principle 
which  existed  before  the  heavens  and  the  earth  were  divided.' 
*Taou  produced  one,  one  produced  two,  two  produced  three,  and 
three  produced  all  things.'  If  it  be  asked  what  then  is  Taou? 
They  reply,  •  extreme  quiescence,  or  a  state  of  perfect  stillness  is 
Taou.'  The  Three,  when  speaking  of  their  external  appearance, 
they  call,  *the  heaven's  tidorning  principle,  earth*s  life-giving  prin- 
ciple, and  the  pure  principle  of  the  exciting  harmonising  wind;' 
or  as  they  define  it,  *  that  aerial  principle  or  influence  by  which 
the  heavens  and  earth  act  on  each  other.'  The  internal  tliree, 
they  call  'the  clear  unmixed  influence,  the  intelligence  of  spirit, 
the  purity  of  essence,  (which)  in  the  midst  of  quiescence  separated 
the  Yin  and  the  Yang.  *  Essence,  influence,  and  spirit  together 
operated  in  a  state  of  vacuum.*' 

Notices,  longer  or  shorter,  of  the  manners,  ceremonies,  and 
habits  of  the  Chinese,  arc  interspersed  throughout  this  volume  under 
the  appropriate  symbols.  The  explanations  of  Kwan,  ^^  '  to  cap,' 
and  M^  Sing,  'a  surname,'  will  in  part  illustrate  this  remark.  The 
former  character  is  compounded  of  words  which  denote  a  *  covering 
for  the  head  '  and  *  an  inch,*  to  indicate  that  a  cap  is  made  by  rule. 

*'  The  ancients,  who  inhabited  the  caves  of  the  wilderness,  had  a 

• 

covering  of  skin  for  tlie  head,  but  subsequent  sages,  observing  that 
birds  had  crests  and  crops,  and  animals  honis  and  beards,  took  the 
idea  of  forming  caps  and  crowns  with  ribbons  to  bind  them  and 
hang  below  the  chin."  Occasion  is  hence  taken  to  advert  to  the 
ceremony  of  capping  boys,  which  the  father  performs  by  placing  a 
cap,  with  certain  observances,  on  the  head  of  his  son,  fonnerly 
when  he  was  twenty  years  of  age,  but  now  on  the  day  of  his 
marriage.  \  moral  derived  from  the  usage  is,  '  At  the  ceremony 
of  capping  put  away  childish  purposes.*  The  correspondent 
female  ceremony  consists  of  braiding  the  hair  with  a  bodkin  of 
wood,  copper,  silver,  or  gold,  according  to  the  wealth  of  the  parties. 
Minuteness  of  detail  on  such  subjects  is  valuable,  because  in  des- 
cribing the  usages  of  an  ancient  and  distant  empire,  information 
Is  supplied  on  points  of  etiquette,  which,  from  the  excessive  at- 
tachment of  the  Orientals  to  forms  and  ceremonies,  are  of  great  im- 
|>ortance.  Indeed  many  modes  of  speech  common  inChina  are  derived 

from  such  ceremonials;  as  IP^  %f  Shing-kwan,  thus  explained  by 

Dr.  Morrison]:   '* '  Raise  the  cap,'  i.  e.  put  it  off,  in  the  language  of 

*  The  male  and  firmale  principles  in  nature. 


8  CRITICAL   NOTICES   OF 

courtesy.  Chinese  politeness  requires  the  head  to  be  covered, 
which  in  very  warm  weather  is  unpleasant ;  a  visitor  is  therefore 
requested  to  put  off  his  cap.  But  the  cap  with  its  knob  is  a  badge 
of  rank,  and  it  sounds  harsh  to  desire  a  person  to  put  off  that 
badge ;  hence  they  say, '  raise  or  promote  the  cap/  implying  a  wish 
that  so  far  from  desiring  the  pe  son  to  put  away  or  lose  his  badge 
of  honour,  it  is  hoped  he  will  obtain  a  higher  one.  The  cap  is  a 
part  of  full  dress.  With  ofhcers  of  government  it  is  also  a  badge 
of  official  rank ;  hence  when  they  offend  and  render  themselves  un- 
worthy of  that  rank,  they  sometimes  kneel  in  the  presence  of  their 
superiors  and  tear  off  their  caps  as  a  mark  of  confession  and  con- 
trition; as  if  they  said,  '  I  am  unworthy  of  the  rank  or  office  of 
which  the  cap  is  the  sign.*  *'  The  Scripture  reader  will  be  reminded 
by  this  method  of  showing  contrition  for  official  delinquency,  of 
the  Hebrew  custom,  to  which  it  is  not  dissimilar,  of  rending  the 
garments  as  a  token  of  sorrow  for  sin,  or  of  excessive  grief  fh»k 
other  causes. 

Under  the  word  JjA  Smg,  information  is  conveyed  on  the 
number  of  family  names  throughout  the  Empire;  the  sources 
whence  they  are  derived ;  the  books  which  contain  the  principal 
part  of  them ;  the  antiquity  of  the  usage  in  China  compajred  with 
its  date  in  Britain ;  the  law  which  prohibits  the  rite  of  marriage 
between  persons  of  the  same  surname;  the  number  of  names  given 
to  each  person ;  and  the  reasons  which  influence  an  individual  in 
choosing  a  name,  or  his  friend  in  selecting  one.  I  will  quote  what 
is  said  on  the  two  last  points.  "  If  it  be  a  mark  of  a  savage  state 
to  be  (as  Pliny  say^  of  the  savages  of  Mount  Atlas)  anonymi, 
nameless,  and  civilization  be  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  names, 
the  Chinese  are  the  most  civilized  nation  on  the  earth.  Originally 
every  person  had  but  one  name,  as  Adam,  Romulus,  Hengist,  and 
so  on.  The  Homans  had  three  names ;  a  Prsenomen,  Nomen 
and  Cognomen.  The  Chinese  have  generally  four,  sometimes  six 
names.  1.  ^^  Sing,  the  family  name,  the  name  of  the  clan  or 
surname;  the  name  of  the  Homans.  2.  ^  Ming,  the  name,  or 
Roman  praenomen,  or  the  European's  Christian  name ;  of  these 
the  Chinese  have  three;  the  Joo-ming,  'breast  name/  given  to  a 
child  when  it  is  put  to  the  breast;  the  "^  ^  Shoo-ming,  'book 
name',  given  to  a  boy  when  he  goes  to  school;  and  the  'o^  ^ 
Kwan  ming,  *  official  name,'  given  in  to  government  by  literaiy 
graduates,  members  of  mercantile  companies  (Hong  merchants), 
or  other  persons  who  have  concerns  with  government.     There  are 


* 


DR.   MURRIMNS  LITERARY  LABOURS.  9 

also  the  ^  Tnze,  or  name  taken  by  men  when  they  marry,  and 
the  ^f^  Haoii,  or  deiiignation  assumed  &t  tlie  age  of  fiily.  The 
named  imposed  by  Chinese  parents  and  friends,  as  well  u  those 
which  individuals  take  themselveE,  are  intended  to  be  felicitous; 
bojiing  that  the  Lutiii  proverb  will  prove  true,  '  bonum  nomen 
bonum  omen.' " 

Of  the  word  "^  Tsze,  there  are  nearly  five  quarto  pages  of 
illustration.  It  denotes  '  produce,  seed,  progeny,  children,  the  peo- 
ple, a  child,  a  son  and  heir,  sages,  worthies,  the  fourth  degree  of 
nobility,  and  sometimes  females;  it  is  alao  a  horary  character." 
These  and  other  senses  of  the  word  arc  elucidated  by  quotations 
from  poets,  moral  pbilosophera,  political  economists,  and  medical 
writers.  Proverbial  maxims,  metaphysical  theories,  principles  of 
filial  piety,  the  laws  of  primogeniture,  rules  of  etiquette  observed  by 
wives  and  concubines,  and  points  in  history  and  chronology,  are  in- 
cidentally introduced  in  the  explanations  of  this  character.  The 
names  of  several  plants  occur,  with  notices  of  their  medicinal  pro- 
perties, taken  &om  native  medical  and  botanical  works,  sometimes 
with  the  aid  of  the  author's  scientific  friends,  Mr.  Livingstone  and 
Mr.  Reeves,  to  whom  he  acknowledges  his  obligations  on  this  and 
other  subjects  in  different  parts  of  the  work ;  but  the  principal 
illustrations  of  the  character  refer  to  the  opinions  of  anciejit  writers 
on  physical,  moral,  and  political  science,  reputed  for  eminence  of 
style  and  sentiment,  whose  chief  tenets  ore  pointed  out,  with  the 
periods  in  which  they  lived.  Such  records  not  only  convey  valuable 
information,  but  suggest  appropriate  native  works  for  the  perusal  of 
the  Chinese  student.  It  may  perhaps  excite  Bur|>rise  that  a  word 
whose  ordinary  meaning  is  'son,'  should  embrace  such  a  variety  of 
significations ;  but  it  only  furnishes  a  specimen  of  the  comprehen- 
eive  nature  of  numerous  Chinese  characters,  and  ait  illustratioD  of  a 
property  perhaps  inseparable  from  symbolical  language. 

tiiographical  notices  are  frequent  in  this  volume,  under  the 
characters  that  represent  the  names  of  exalted  personages ;  ff 
Kung,  for  example,  forms  [lart  both  of  tlie  name  of  Confucius,  '  the 
Sage,"  and  of  Kung-ming,  a  celebrated  officer  of  government,  who 
acted  a  prominent  part  in  the  civil  wars  between  the  states  AVoo, 
Shtih,  and  Wei,  in  their  respective  struggles  for  ascendency.  The 
latter  attached  himself  to  Shtih,  wliich,  alter  his  death,  succceiled  in 
obtaining  the  supremacy.  Tltis  critical  period  of  Cliiiiese  history  gave 
rise  to  an  able  and  interesting  historical  novel,  published  in  twenty 
volumes,  and  designated  "  Statistics  of  the  Three  Kingdoms" — 
Soa-kwO-che — in  wliich  Uicre  is  a  full  account  of  the  Btralagcms  and 


10  CRITICAL  NOTICES  OF 

exploits  of  the  general,  or  secretary-at-war.  Dr.  Morrison  remarks, 
*^  the  San-kwd-che  attributes  to  Kung-ming  an  ability  to  procure 
the  aid  of  spiritual  beings,  and  always  sends  him  into  battle  with  a  fan 
in  one  hand,  and  a  handkerchief  in  the  other.  The  grave  histories 
do  not  notice  this  circumstance.  Some  of  his  letters,  essays  on 
different  subjects,  orders  to  the  army,  and  so  forth,  are  preserved, 
and  are  thought  to  add  greatly  to  his  reputation;  they  are  in 
twenty-four  pieces  of  composition,  containing  140,112  characters:"* 
— the  Chinese,  like  the  Hebrews,  enumerate  the  words  of  a  work 
which  they  esteem — '*  He  excelled  greatly  in  what  was  much  valued 
at  that  time,  and  has  been  much  admired  in  China  ever  since, 
stratagems  in  war.  He  was  an  astrologer,  and  versed  in  the  doc- 
trines of  the  eight  diagrams  of  Fuh-he  ;  to  correspond  to  these,  he 
invented  a  form  of  encamping  an  army  in  a  sort  of  battle  array 
called  the  eight  regiment  figure.  In  his  fifty-fourth  year  he  antici- 
pated, from  existing  indisposition,  and  an  astrological  prognostic, 
that  he  was  about  to  die.  **  But  for  the  sake  of  Han's  house  ** — the 
name  of  a  celebrated  dynasty,  now  applied  to  the  whole  empire— 
"  he  still  wished  to  live,  and  he  was  induced  to  employ  forms  of 
prayer  and  supplication  to  bring  back  his  life" — ^that  is,  to  have  the 
term  of  his  life  protracted.  His  prayer  was  addressed  to  heaven, 
and  the  stars ;  to  correspond  to  which,  he  lit  up  lamps  in  a  certain 
number  and  order  within  his  tent,  and,  prostrating  himself,  prayed 
thus,*  '*  Leang  (I)  being  bom  into  the  world  in  times  of  anarchy, 
would  gladly  have  remained  till  old  age,  secluded  amongst  forests 
and  fountains  of  water,'*  &c.  &c.  Having  finished  his  prayer,  he 
remained  prostrate  on  the  earth  till  the  morning,  when  a  constant 
spitting  of  blood  came  on,  of  which  he  died  in  the  fifty-fourth  year 
of  liis  age.  Notwithstanding  Kung-ming*s  ill  success  in  praying 
to  have  his  days  protracted,  and  its  being  the  popular  belief  of  the 
Chinese,  that  the  number  of  days  which  shall  precede  death  ii  a 
fixed  number ;  the  arrangement  of  lamps  corresponding  to  the 
stars  of  heaven,  and  spells  and  incantations,  in  imitation  of  Kung* 
ming,  are  still  practised  in  China." 

After  a  brief  summary  of  the  incidents  of  Coiifuciu8*s  life  Dr. 
Morrison  remarks,  "  Confucius  dabbled  in  politics  all  his  life  and 
his  ethics  dwell  chiefly  on  those  social  duties  which  are  of  a  poli- 
tical kind.  A  family  is  the  prototyi>e  of  his  nation,  or  empire;  and 
he  lays  at  the  foundation  of  his  system,  not  the  visionary  notions 
which  have  no  existence  in  nature,  of  independence  and  equalitTi 

*  The  Chinese  often  designate  themseWes  by  one  of  their  names  instead  of 
the  pronoun  in  direct  address. 


DR.  Morrison's  literary  labours. 


n 


■  but  the  principteB  of  dependence  anil  Bubordinatton,  as  of  children 
Ftto  parent*,  the  younger  to  the  elder,  and  so  on-     These  principlcB 
1  are  perpi?lually  inculcated  in  the  CoDfucinu  wntingi,  and  are  em- 
L  bodied  in  tolemn  ceremonials,  and  in  apparently  trivial  TormB  of 
Leti[]uelte.     And  probably  it  is  this  feature  of  Confucius'g  ethics 
|,  which  has  made  him  such  a  favourite  with  all  the  goTemmenia  of 
I  China  for  many  centuries  past,  and  at  this  day.     These  principles 
E  and  forms  are  early  instilled  into  young  minds,  and  fonn  their  con- 
science ;  the  elucidation  and  enforcement  of  which  is  the  business 
of  students  who  aspire  to  he  magistrates,  or  Btalesmen,  and  of  the 
wealthy  who  desire  nominal  rank  in  the  state  ;  and  it  is  in  all  hke- 
liliood  owing,  in  great  part,  to  the  force  of  these  principles  on  the 
national  mind  and  conscience,  thnt  China  holds  together  the  largest 
I  associated  populalion  in  the  world.     la  every  Hi»n  district  of  Uie 
empire,  there  is  a  temple  dedicated  to  Confucius,     The  emperor, 
kings,  nobles,  and  the  learned  of  the  laud,  do  him  service — pay  a 
sort  of  atheistical  worship  ;  for  ns  the  sect  believes  in  no  future 
slate,  neither  in  any  god,  angel,  nor  spirit,  their  service  can  scarcely 
be  called  religious  worship. 
"  The  Ufe  of  Confucius  has  in  it  no  very  striking  incidents,  and  his 
I    doctrines  are  what  Europeans  call  common-place  truisms ;  justice, 
benevolence,  and  social  order,  are  three  terms  which  nearly  com- 
prehend the  whole  of  what  he  taught.     They  contain  two  of  the 
three  duties  inculcated  by  a  heaven-taught  writer  of  the  west,  *  Do 
justly,  love  mercy,  and  walk  humbly  with    thy  God.'     Confucius 
sumecimes  spoke  in  a  manner  that  showed  his  own  impression  to  be, 
that  Heaven  had  conferred  on  him  a  special  commission  to  instruct 
the  world."     Notwithstanding  the  veneration  in  which  Confucius 
was  held  by  his  disciples,  they  suspected  him,  on  two  occasions,  of 
gross  immoralities,  on  which,  however,  he  imprecated  the  ven- 
geance of  heaven,  if  any  guilt  attached  to  him. 

The  following  translation  from  a  Chinese  Encyclopedia,  must 
conclude  our  references  to  the  illuatrations  of  the  word  Kung : — 
*'  Kung-shwiiy-tung,  '  the  aqueduct  cave,'  is  the  name  of  a  romantic 
spot  on  the  Tae-fang-ihan,  '  the  great  chamber  mountain.'  Ou 
the  north-cut  side  of  it,  there  is  an  overhanging  precipice  more  than 
a  thousand  cubits  high.  At  the  foot  of  this  precipice  there  is,  in 
llie  rock,  a  basin  twenty  cubits  wide,  tVom  which  a  spnng  of  wnttir 
gushes  up.  The  depth  of  this  spring  is  unfathomable.  Tliere  are 
various  legends  about  dragons  issuing  from  the  spring,  and  being 
injuiediately  transformed  to  fish ;  and  swt^et  musical  sounds  being 
heard  to  rise  fVom  it.  During  the  Tang  dynasty  (*.  n,  745)  peoplv 
in  boaU,  with  lintems,  endeavoured  to  ascend  to  the  head  of  the 


12  CRITICAL   NOTICES    OF 

cavern,  but  failed,  ader  proceeding  up  it  five  or  six  days.  In  times 
of  drought,  the  court  sent  special  commissioners  to  throw  a  dragon 
and  stone  sceptre  into  the  cavern,  as  a  sort  of  offering ;  after  which 
it  is  affirmed,  most  beautiful  peach  blossoms  flowed  out  of  it.** 

There  is  a  copious  illustration  of  Mencius's  character  and  senti- 
ments, under  the  word  ^  M<^ng  (part  of  his  name)  derived  from 

this  root,  who,  as  a  philosopher  and  statesman,  holds  the  next  rank 
to  Confucius.  Quotations  are  introduced  from  various  authors 
respecting  his  education,  his  conferences  with  the  different  princes 
of  his  day,  and  the  advices  he  gave  on  important  questions  in 
political  economy.  Brief  memoirs  are  also  given  of  statesmen,  no- 
blemen, and  other  distinguished  persons  of  the  name  of  M&ng,  who 
have  been  honoured  with  a  record  in  Chinese  annals. 

The  word  j^  Koo,  *  orphan,'  is  explained  in  its  various  uses 
by  quotations  from  standard  works ;  an  outUne  is  also  given  of 
the  history  of  the  house  of  Chaou,  on  which  a  popular  play,  entitled 
**  The  Orphan  of  the  House  of  Chaou's  great  revenge,"  is  founded; 
it  was  translated  into  English  first  by  Du  Halde,  from  Premare*s 
French  version  of  the  original,  and  recently  from  the  Chinese  into 
English,  by  J.  F.  Davies,  Esq.  It  is  remarked,  in  conclusion  of  the 
article,  that  Chinese  writers  divide  plays  into  twelve  classes;  in 
the  seventh  of  which  expelled  statesmen  and  orphan  children  fonn 
the  subject  or  plot ;  these  are  chiefly  tragic,  to  which  the  tenth 
class  seems  also  to  belong,  since  it  represents,  **  commiseration, 
sighing,  parting,  and  meethig.*' 

The  last  symbol  we  shall  notice  under  the  primitive,  *'  son,"  is 
^^  Hed,  '  learning ;'  whose  varied  and  extensive  use  affords  scope 
for  ample  illustration,  of  which  Dr.  Morrison  has  judiciously 
availed  himself  by  introducing  the  following  subjects ;  first,  defini- 
tions of  the  word  derived  from  native  authorities ;  secondly,  illus- 
trations of  moral  and  political  systems  in  the  language  of  their 
authors ;  thirdly,  names  of  celebrated  writers  on  education,  with  a 
list  of  their  works,  and  an  account  of  some  of  their  most  popxilar 
opinions  and  maxims.  Since  ^B  Hed  is  the  principal  character  in 
the  term  for  school  or  college.  Dr.  Morrison  takes  occasion  to 
introduce  a  luminous  statement  of  the  methods  of  education  and 
the  mode  of  conducting  schools  in  China.  "  There  is  nothing,"  be 
remarks,  **  answering  to  the  European  respectable  schools  or 
academies  for  the  middle  ranks.  The  wealthy  among  the  Chinese 
employ  private  tutors  for  their  children  and  other  relatives.  The 
national  district  colleges  for  Sew-tsae  graduates,  are  managed  in  such 


DR.  Morrison's  literary  ladours.  13 

a  slovenly  manner  tliat  nobody  attends,  except  when  the  period  of 
public  examination  comes  round.  The  masters  sometimes  let  out 
their  situations  to  others.  The  private  schools  are  attended  by 
poor  children  chiefly.  Boys  pay  an  entrance  fee  on  first  seeing 
the  master,  who  expects  something  but  makes  no  demand,  which 
varies  according  to  the  circumstances  of  the  pupil's  friends,  from 
200  cash  to  one  dollar.  There  are  two  holidays  in  the  fifth  and 
eighth  month,  when  scholars  pay  a  small  sum  in  the  same  manner 
as  entrance  money ;  on  those  two  days  the  boys  have  play,  and  at 
the  new  year,  there  is  a  vacation  of  a  month  or  six  weeks.  There 
are  charity  schools,  not  required  by  the  supreme  government,  but 
opened  by  local  officers  for  grown  students.  There  are  no  public 
schools,  nor  private  charity  schools  for  poor  children ;  but  there 
are  evening  schools  in  large  towns,  of  which  they  who  have  to 
labour  during  the  day  avail  themselves.  Chinese  children  generally 
enter  a  school  for  one  year,  not  for  a  quarter,  nor  a  month.  If 
a  boy  enters  for  a  year,  he  must  pay  the  whole  whether  he  attends 
or  not.  The  yearly  sum  varies  from  two  to  six  doUars;  three 
dollars  is  considered  an  average  school  fee  for  a  year." 

From  a  native  work,  entitled  "  A  Complete  Collection  of 
Domestic  Jewels,"  Dr.  Morrison  has  extracted  and  translated  one 
hundred  rules  for  the  regulation  of  schools,  which  we  cannot  now 
transcribe  entire,  but  shall  give  a  few  of  them  as  a  specimen  of  the 
author*s  matter,  and  the  translator's  manner.  The  second  is, 
*'  When  the  scholars  enter  the  school,  they  must  bow  to  Confucius 
the  sage,  and  next  bow  to  the  master  ;*'  the  ninth  and  tenth  enjoin, 
that  '*  every  evening,  when  about  to  break  up  school,  there  shall  be 
an  ode  recited,  or  a  piece  of  ancient  or  modem  history  narrated, 
and  that  a  piece  the  most  easily  understood,  the  most  affecting,  or 
one  connected  with  important  consequences,  shall  be  selected ;  all 
frothy  talk  and  lewd  expressions  are  forbidden;  and  when  the 
school  is  broken  up,  the  scholars  must  bow  to  Confucius  and  the 
master  the  same  as  in  the  morning ;  even  the  very  oldest  must  not 
omit  doing  so."  Some  of  the  regulations  have  respect  to  the  con- 
duct of  the  boys  at  home,  and  are  exceedingly  minute.  Rule  the 
twelfth  enjoins,  "  when  they  reach  home,  let  them  first  bow  to  the 
household  gods,  then  to  their  ancestors,  next  to  their  fathers  and 
mothers,  and  uncles  and  aunts  ;'*  while,  according  to  the  fourteenth, 
they  must  read  in  the  evening  by  a  lamp  at  home,  except  in  the 
summer  months  when  the  weather  is  hot,  but  in  the  autumn,  when 
the  weather  becomes  cool,  they  must  resume,  as  before,  their  night 
reading.  Rule  the  twentieth,  commands  those  who  read  in  order 
to  learn  memoriter,  to  bring  three  things  to  the  work-— their  eyes, 


14  CRITICAL  NOTICES    OF 

mind,  and  mouth,  and  carefully  to  avoid  repeating  with  the  mouth 
while  the  heart  is  thinking  about  something  else.     By  the  twenty- 
sixth  rule,    if  there  be   many  scholars,  they  must  draw  lots  to 
re{)eat  one  after  another,  and  not  crowd  about  the  master ;   the 
fortieth  requires  the  boys  to  examine  themselves  by  those  passages 
which  the  master  explains,  and  to  apply  the  warnings  or  good 
examples  to  their  own  case,  as  a  beneficial  exercise  both  to  body 
and  mind.     The  duty  of  the  pupil  is  thus  expressed  :  '*  Let  the 
scholar,  to  himself,  make  a  personal  application,  and  say  to  himself, 
Does  this  sentence  concern  you,  or  not?    Is  the  subject  of  this 
chapter  what  you  can  learn  to  imitate  or  not  ?    Then  let  the  master 
take  the  circumstances  of  the  ancient  occurrence  narrated,  or  of 
the  maxim,  and  discuss  it  in  two  parts  ;  first,  what  should  be  imi- 
tated ;  and,  secondly,  what  should  be  avoided,  that  the  scholar 
may  note  it,  and  feel  a  serious  impression.*'     Self- application  of 
the  subject  is  most  important  to  all  who  attend  a  course  of  moral 
instnictiou ;  and  this  advice  would  be  unexceptionable  were  the 
doctrines  taught  in  harmony  with  the  great  principles  of  natural 
and  revealed  religion.  By  thus  early  cultivating  habits  of  reverence 
towards  their  sages  and  instructors,  ancestors,  parents,  and  household 
deities,  a  strong  and  an  abiding  impression  is  made  on  the  minds  of 
youth;   but  in  this,  as  in  many  other  l^islative  enactments,  the 
Chinese  are  in  danger,  from  excessive  refinement  and  minuteness, 
of  rendering  such  of  their  principles  as  are  valuable,  impracticable. 
Our  extracts  from  these  rules  must  now  close.     There  are  also 
twenty-seven  paragraphs,  containing  advices  to  private    students 
by  the  same  author,  which  must  be  passed  over." 

The  next  topic  is  that  of  literary  examinations,!  so  frequently 
referred  to  in  conversation  and  books,  which  form  an  important  pait 
of  the  machinery  of  Chinese  education.  Translations  on  this  subject, 
from  a  native  work  in  eighteen  vols.,  whose  title  is  *  Laws  relat- 
ing to  the  arena  of  literary  examinations,*  occupy  twenty-four  pagvs 
of  the  Dictionary.  The  following  information  is  contained  in  some 
of  the  heads  of  sections.  '*  First,  the  times  of  the  provincial  and 
general  examinations,  which  are  triennial,  the  one  in  the  third  the 
other  in  the  eighth  moon ;  secondly,  the  regular  and  extraordinarv 
examinations,  provincial  and  general ;  thirdly,  the  provincial  and 
general  examination  of  the  official  members  of  the  imperial  family; 
fourthly,  an  examination  of  those  who  have  attained  the  lowest 
degree,  to  ascertain  whether  they  are  eligible  to  be  admitted  to  the 
next  higher  grade.''  It  may  not  be  irrelevant  to  remark  that  there 
are  four  literary  degrees  to  which  graduates  are  eligible; — the 
Sew  tsae  ;;^    ^  *  cultivated  Ulenf  —  the  fourth ;   the  ^   ^ 


DR.  Morrison's  literary  labours.  15 


Keu-jin,  *  recommended  men/ — the  third  ;    the  ^g^  J^  Tsin  sze, 

'initiated  scholar/ — the  second;  and  the  ^^  j^  Hanlin,  'forest 

of  pencils/  also  a  designation  of  the  national  institute — the  first. 
The  numher  of  graduates  of  the  fourth  degree  in  Canton  province  is 
about  twelve  thousand,  which  may  indicate  the  probable  number  of 
candidates  for  literary  honours  throughout  the  empire.  The  fiflh 
section  relates  to  the  number  to  be  taken  at  the  examinations  for 
the  Keu-jin  degree,  which,  in  the  larger  provinces,  is  about  eighty 
persons ;  in  the  middle  sized,  including  Canton,  sixty ;  and  in  the 
smaller  provinces  fifty,  who  are  to  be  selected  from  among  the 
graduates  of  the  fourth  degree,  and  sent  to  court  as  candidates  for 
the  third.  The  lowest  degree  may  be  obtained  by  purchase  as  well 
as  merit.  The  government  has  the  sole  control  of  what  may  be 
called  the  literary  hierarchy  of  China — the  privileged  class  of 
persons  who,  by  whatever  means,  have  obtained  literary  honours. 
The  Foo-yuen,  or  deputy -governor  of  a  province,  is  always  at  the 
head  of  the  examination  department ;  and  theme  papers  stamped  are 
issued  from  the  office  of  the  superintendent  of  revenue — Poo-ching 
sze.  The  literati,  however,  not  only  assume  superiority  over  their 
fellow-citizens,  but  affect  to  guide  the  understanding  and  conscience 
of  the  sovereign  and  the  nation.  The  sixth,  seventh,  eighth,  and 
ninth  paragraphs  refer  to  a  class  of  candidates  for  the  third  degree^ 
who  have  obtained  the  lower  one,  in  an  irregular  way,  by  purchase, 
an  act  of  grace,  or  by  recommendation  from  their  district  tutor,  to 
whom  patronage  of  this  kind  is  granted  once  in  three  years : 
officers  of  a  miscellaneous  character,  such  as  writers  in  the  public 
offices  of  the  empire,  are  included  in  this  class.  The  remaining 
paragraphs,  to  the  number  of  eighty-eight,  extracted  from  the 
work,  consist  of  minute  regulations  respecting  the  demeanour, 
classification,  provincial  examinations,  and  methods  of  testing  the 
merits  of  the  candidates,  their  expences  allowed  by  the  govern- 
ment for  travelling  to  the  capital,  the  means  employed  to  prevent 
partiality  on  the  part  of  the  examiners,  and  deception  on  that  of 
the  students,  by  giving  or  receiving  assistance  in  composing  themes, 
false  excuses  for  non-attendance,  and  introducing,  clandestinely, 
precomposed  essays  as  their  own.  Great  care  is  taken  that  the 
composition  be  original,  without  aid  from  any  quarter  but  the 
8tudeut*s  own  mental  resources;  hence  officers  are  appointed  to 
examine  the  outer  wall  of  the  court  yard  within  which  essays 
must  be  composed,  to  search  the  persons  of  the  students,  "  to 
prevent  them  from  conversing  together,  exchanging  their  theme 
papers,    confusing    their   numbers,    and   such  like    illegalities.** 


16  CRITICAL   NOTICES   OF 

According  to  a  paragraph  under  the  twenty-third    section,   the 
persons  required  at  each  examination  in  the  district  Shun-teen  are 
from  ninety  to  a  hundred  readers  and  examiners  of  theme  papers, 
one  thousan<l   transcribers,   thirty-two   type-cutters,    twenty-four 
pressmen  to  print  themes  for  distribution  among  the  students  after 
the  gates  of  the  court-yard  are  locked,  four  persons   to  fold  the 
comers  of  theme  papers,  two  pasters,  two  smiths,  one  tinner  or 
pewterer,  six  bricklayers,  four  drummers,  &c.  &c.     As  many  as  ten 
thousand  persons,  consisting  of  students,  attendants,  officers,  and 
mechanics,  are  collected  within  the  inclosure  at  a  provincial  ex- 
amination  in  Canton,   which,  more  than  any  other    occurrence, 
occasions  both  activity  in  trade,  and  general  excitement  through- 
out the  whole  province.     The  literary  examinations    are  imme- 
diately succeeded  by  the  military.     The  prize  essays  are  of  three 
kinds;  elegant  prose  compositions;  poetry;  and  political  economv. 
The   first,   conveying   correct   sentiments  in  elegant   diction,  if 
deemed  the  most  important,     A  sentence  taken  from  the  Chinese 
sacred    books,   Sze-shoo  or  Woo-king,  constitutes  the    theme  of 
this  description  of  essays ;  but  heterodox  or  novel  opinions  clothed 
in  the  most  fcLScinating  style,  and  approved  sentiments  ill  composed, 
would  be  equally  rejected.    An  analysis  of  a  small  volume,  entitled 
"The  Learner  s  Bright  Mirror,"  contains  the  divisions  of  an  essay 
intended  to  teach  the  art  of  composition,  chiefly  by  examples,  to 
candidates  for  literary  honours  and  the  civil  service.     There  are 
large  extracts  from  another  native  work  in  twenty  volumes,  ex- 
hibiting rules  for  composition  on  a  given  theme,  which,  though 
very  useful  to  the  student  of  Chinese,  will  not  perhaps  interest  the 
general  reader  so  much  as  the  subjects  of  themes.     There  are  nine 
different  sorts  of  themes;  the  first  contains  a  single  proposition,  as 
a  *  statesman  should  serve  his  prince  with  fidelity.'     Such  themei 
arc  very  difticult,    the  composition  of  which,'  the  author  sajs, 
'  ought  to  be  like  streams  from  the  mountains,  gradually  entering  the 
great  rivers  Keang  and  Hwae,  and  like  the  waters  of  those  riven 
entering  the  Yellow  river  and  the  sea,  in  which  the  beautifuUr 
mounting    curl  of  the   waves,   again  and  again   rising   to  view, 
and  again  and  again  issuing  forth,  must  be  displayed  ere  the  pros- 
pect can  be  called  extraordinary  or  striking.     If  the  composition 
rushes  abruptly  forth  like  a  flood,  and  progressing  interruptedly 
becomes  soon  dried  up,  it  has  not  then  any  excellence." — Secondly, 
*'  two  leaved  tliemes."  The  allusion  is  to  a  two-leaved  door.     The 
word  leaf  seems  to  mean,  the  member  of  a  sentence  containing  a 
distinct  proposition,  thus  "  heaven  and  earth  preserve  their  places, 
and   all  creatures  are  nourished."      (Chung-yung.)     This  is  the 


BS.  MORRISON  S  LITBRARY  LABOURS. 


17 


I 


example  given  of  a  "  two.Ieaved  theme." — Thirdly.  A  theme  con- 
.laining  three  propositions  (a  three-leaved  J  theme). — Fourthly.  A 
lenie  containing  four  propositions  (a  four-leaved  theme). — Fifthly. 
Long  themes,"  consisting  of  a  whole  paragraph  or  section :  such 
lemes  are  common  from  Mencius. — Sixthly.  A  theme  in  which 
one  sentence  i»  divideJ  into  two  portions. — Seventhly.  A  theme  in 
which  the  first  and  last  sentiments  have  a  beiring  on  each  other. — 
Eighthly,  A  strung  theme,  i.  e,  one  in  which  two  sentences  are 
joined  together  in  one  ;  this  may  be  considered  the  same  as  the  first 
mentioned. — Ninthly.  A  reversed  tJieme,  one  in  which  the  negative 
side  of  the  proposition  is  expressed.  There  are  eleven  paragraphs 
from  another  writer  on  composition,  which  we  need  not  transcribe, 
having  adduced,  we  trust,  sufficient  proo&  of  the  mdustry  and 
ability  of  the  author  on  the  subjects  of  ibis  article.  The  concluding 
paragraph  may,  however,  be  quoted.  "Tlie  literature  of  China 
consists  much  in  voluminous  collections  of  such  short  essaysas  are 
described  above ;  in  verses ;  in  letters  of  statesmen  and  scholars  to 
the  several  monarchs  of  successive  dynasties,  &c. ; — of  such  pieces  of 
esteemed  composition  there  are  thousands  of  volumes.  Thepreface  to 
the  work  named  below  says,  that  the  materials  of  elegant  composition 
provided  in  the  six  ancient  classics  ;  and  during  the  dynasties  of 
Tsin,  Han,  and  onward,  writers  arose  in  every  age,  by  whom  the  form 
lof  composition  was  successively  altered.  These  papers,  however, were 
[sever  collected  together  till  the  prince  Chaou-ming  of  the  Leang 
dynasty,  first  made  a  compilation  of  them,  and  formed  a  book 
called,  "A  Selection  of  Elegant  Literature."  This  prince  lived 
A.  D.  543,  and  is  described  as  a  remarkable  instance  of  precocity. 
At  three  years  of  age  he  ae<iuiied  a  knowledge  of  the  standard  books, 
Heaou'king  and  Lun-)'U  ;  and,  at  five  years,  he  had  read  the  whole 
of  the  Shoo-king,  and  could  recite  them  all  perfectly  by  heart. 
His  work  is  still  extant,  and  has  been  Irequently  reprinted." 

The  only  other  article  in  this  volume,  which  we  can  notice,  is 
under  'n'  Kwan  "  officer.''  It  occupies  about  thirty  pages,  prin- 
cipally consisting  of  extracts  on  the  government  of  China,  from  a 
voluminous  work,  entitled,  "  The  Profound  Mirror's  General  Col- 
lectanea." Ancient  and  modern  offices,  with  their  origin,  antiquity, 
and  history,  are  described  in  the  native  character.  A  list  is  given 
of  the  civil  and  military  officers  of  the  imperial  household,  who  are 
also  members  of  the  six  courts  at  Pekuig,  with  numerous  inferior 
officers  in  each  department.  Sentences  are  cited  from  Chinese 
statesmeii  and  philosophers,  on  the  theory  and  practice  of  govern- 
ment, and  the  best  means  of  promoting  the  stabihty  of  the  empire. 
There  is  a  general  account  of  the  nobility  in  China  created  by  Lei- 


18  CRITICAL    NOTICES   OF 

ters  Patent,  the  privileges  and  dignity  of  the  different  orders  of 
nobles,  their  laws  of  succession,  &c.     Persons  eligible  for  creation 
are — the  kindred  of  the  emperor — meritorious  servants  of  the  crown 
— the  sons  and  grandsons  of  those  who  have  died  with  honour  in  the 
public  service — the  posterity  of  distinguished  statesmen — and  indi- 
viduals eminently  virtuous.    The  five  usual  titles,  derived  from 
certain  virtues,  are  thus  explained :  the  first  is  Kung,  **  noble,** 
so  called  from  a  generous  regard  to  the  public  good,  which  is  the 
highest  virtue,  in  opposition  to  selfishness :  the  second.  How, "  to 
wait,*'  indicates  those  who,  having  been  expelled  for  their  virtue, 
wait  for  better  times,  and  adhere  to  their  principles  in  suffering  and 
exile :  the  third,  Pih,  "  bright  men,"  seniors,  possessing  a  high  degree 
of  intelligence :  the  fourth,  Tsze,  those  who  are  capable  of  nurturing 
or  training  up  other  persons  in  virtuous  conduct :  the  fifth.  Nan, 
those  who  sustain  the  burden  of  important  offices  manfully,  and 
thereby  give  repose  to  others.     There  are  also  extracts  from  an 
article,  entitled,  *'  Collectanea  on  the  Art  of  Government,*'  which 
refer  to  the  principles  of  despotism — the  duties   incumbent  on 
ministers  of  state — the  order  in  which  they  shall  be  arranged  at 
court — the  selection  of  officers  of  government,  which  includes  atten- 
tion  to  diligent  officers,  adherence  to  office,  pluralities  in  office,  and 
the  sparing  use  of  officers,  i.  e.  *'  using  few  of  them."  Concerning  the 
mode  of  government,  it  is  remarked,  according  to  an  ancient  maxim 
in  the  Le-ke,  five  things  are  of  supreme  importance  in  ruling  the  world : 
—that  the  ruler  should  govern  well  his  own  kindred — ^reward  merit- 
elevate  the  virtuous — employ  men  of  talents — and  cherish  those  who 
are  of  a  benevolent  spirit ; — the  courtesies  and  decorums  of  life  aie 
also  considered  as  most  important.  There  are  other  selections  firos 
Chinese  maxims  of  government,  that  evince  a  just  impression  of 
the  moral  feellings  by  which  rulers  ought  to  be  actuated.     The  ex- 
planation of  official  terms  in  this  article  renders  it  highly  valuable 
to  the  interpreter  of  Chinese  documents,  or  the  translator  of  officii 
papers  into  Chinese ;  and  the  quotations  which  have  been  made 
illustrate  Chinese  sentiments  and  theories  on  important  points, 
as  well  as  evince  the  diligence  and  ability  of  the  author  in  com- 
piling this  part  of  his  Dictionary. 

Did  our  limits  permit  us  to  copy  it,  much  additional  matter, 
which  could  not  fail  to  interest  the  general  reader,  might  be  selected 
from  this  volume  on  different  subjects;  such  as  metaphysical  theo- 
ries relating  to  the  first  cause ;  natural  productions ;  articles  in  the 
materia  medica ;  descriptions  of  books ;  terms  in  anatomy ;  mytho- 
logy ;  titles  of  emperors  and  dynasties,  under  the  words  "  Heaven," 
and  "  Great ;"  on  the  creation  of  man,  and  the  nature  of  the  human 


DR.  MoIlRl^o^s  ltterahv  labour 


19 


V^rit,  under  the  word  "man;"  and  on  the  ceremonies  employed 
liotifl  of  mBrriage  and  interment,  which  sre  among  the  most 

■Itaiportant  observances  of  the  Chinese,  detailed  under  tlie  temu 

Kwhich  represent  those  ideas. 

The  two  remaining  volumes  of  this  part  do  not  require  particular 

'  notice  since  ihey  proceed  on  a  less  extensive  plan;  their  utility 
consists  rather  i[i  the  nttinber  and  variety  of  characten  which  have 
been  collected,  than  in  the  extensive  elucidation  of  any  one  topic  i 
and  though  it  would  have  gratified  the  student  of  Chinese  had  some 
important  symbols  been  more  fully  illustrated,  yet  the  work  would 
then  have  assuaied  the  character  of  an  Encyclopedia  rather  than 
a  Dictionary ;  and  as  the  second  part  will,  in  great  measure,  sup- 
ply information  necessary  to  the  acquisition  of  the  language,  which 
may  be  lacking  in  the  first  part,  there  is  the  leas  reason  to  regret 
the  absence  of  more  extended  illustration  from  these  volumes. 

The  Second  Part  of  this  Dictionary  consists  of  two  volumes. 
The  first  is  arranged  alphabetically,  according  to  the  English  mode 
of  representing  Chinese  sounds,  and  conUins  12,680  symbols,  iudi- 
cated  by  41 1  monosyllables,  beginning  with  A  and  ending  with 
Yung;  which,  if  we  except  the  distinction  created  by  the  four 
tones,  are  the  only  sounds  used  to  express  the  40,000  characters  of 
the  Chinese  language ;  so  thai,  on  an  average,  there  will  be  about 
100  different  forms  and  meanings  to  each  sound;  indeed,  in  this 
abridgment,  one  word,  Le,  has  eighty  significations,  each  of  which 
has  a  written  form  pcc\iliar  to  itself.  If  the  sound  of  a  character 
be  remembered,  and  not  its  meaning,  or  oral  instruction  be  derived 
from  a  native,  immediate  reference  will  be  had  to  this  part  of  the 
work ;  but  to  the  student  whose  sole  assistance  is  from  books,  the 
part  of  the  dictionary  comprising  the  radicals  is  indispensable.  In 
this  volume  there  is  much  information  not  to  be  found  in  the  other 
parts  ;  since  it  combines  with  an  abridgment  of  the  first  volume,  a 
fuller  exposition  of  numerous  characters  recorded  in  the  second  and 
third ;  and,  therefore,  it  is  by  comparison  with  it  that  these  latter 
volumes  ought  to  be  judged. 

In  the  Preface  Dr.  Morriuon  says,  "  [he  following  part  of  the 
Dictionary  is  founded  on  the  Chinese  work.  Woo  chay  yun  foo, 
GompUed  by  Chin -see  u-s&ng,  who  spent  his  life  in  collecting  the 
words  il  contains,  and  died  before  its  publication.  He  committed 
hit  manuscript  to  the  care  of  his  pupd  Han-ylh-hoo,  who  travelled 
over  the  empire  in  order  to  verify  it  and  add  to  it.  Some  of  Chin's 
pupils  rose  to  eminent  ofhces  in  the  stale,  and  one  of  them  men* 
ioned  the  work  of  his  master  lo  Kang.he,  when  he  projected  the 
mation  of  his  own  dictionary.     After  much  search  it  was  found, 


20  CRITICAL   NOTICES   OF 

yet  unpublished,  in  the  hands  of  Han«yih-hoo.  Considerable  nae 
seems  to  have  been  made  of  it  in  the  compilation  of  Kang-he's 
Dictionary,  for  the  definition  is  often  verbatim  in  both.  In  the 
original,  the  arrangement  is  according  to  the  sounds  and  the  tones^ 
but  the  characters  pronounced  alike,  and  which  differ  only  in  accent, 
are  placed  in  different  volumes,  and  divided  with  so  much  minute- 
ness as  to  puzzle  all  the  natives  whom  I  ever  saw  attempt  to  ccm- 
sult  it.  In  the  year  1812  I  took  it  to  pieces,  and  arranged  it  under 
the  syllables  as  they  now  stand.  It  contained  about  40,000  cha- 
racters,  which  I  at  last  thought  proper  to  abridge  to  the  number 
which  is  contained  in  this  part  of  the  Dictionary.  In  the  progress 
of  the  work,  I  have  collated  it  with  Kang-he's  Dictionary,  which  ii 
commonly  much  fuller,  and  with  a  Chinese  Dictionary  called  Fun- 
yun,  as  well  as  with  the  Alphabetic  Dictionary  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  Missionaries." 

With  regard  to  the  plan  adopted  in  this  part,  the  author  remariu : 
^'As  it  is  a  principle  in  most  languages,  that  from  a  short  word  of 
a  specific  meaning,  various  other  words,  increased  by  the  addition 
of  letters  or  syllables,  shall  arise,  as  plants  grow  up  and  branch  off 
from  a  root,  something  similar  exists  in  the  Chinese  language,  and 
which,  as  the  student  will  find,  has  been  attended  to  in  the  arrange- 
ment of  this  part  of  the  Dictionary.  The  following  were  laid  down 
as  rules  by  the  author  to  himself,  in  the  arrangement  of  the  cha- 
racters, but  those  rules  have  not  been  invariably  adhered  to :  Fmt, 
that  the  elementary  words  or  primitives,  under  each  syllahle,  should 
follow  each  other  according  to  the  number  of  strokes  in  eack 
Secondly,  that  the  primitives  should  be  joined  with  their  com- 
pounds, according  to  the  order  of  the  Chinese  Keys  ;  and  Thiidlv, 
that  after  regularly  formed  characters  had  been  given  under  ea^ 
syllable,  the  anomalous  or  miscellaneous  characters  should  be  in- 
serted.'* 

The  whole  of  the  Preface  is  worthy  of  being  transcribed  bat 
would  occupy  too  much  of  our  space.  The  following  remarks  on 
the  character  of  the  work,  and  the  state  of  Chinese  literature  io 
Europe  deserve  attention.  **  The  student  must  not  expect  fintt 
this  work  the  precise  words  to  be  employed  in  translation  but  so 
much  of  the  meaning  of  a  word,  as  will  furnish  him  with  a  clue  to 
select  a  proper  phrase.  Nor  must  the  poetical  meaning  of  woidi 
be  expected  to  be  given  with  precision ;  nor  the  whole  of  the  figu- 
rative meaning ;  nor  the  classical  allusions  on  all  occasions.  These 
require  more  associated  effort,  more  diversity  of  talent  and  of  pur- 
suit, than  have  yet  been  applied  by  Europeans  to  the  Chinese  lan- 
guage; and  much  more  than  is  likely  soon  to  be  applied;  not 


UK.  mkkrisun's  literary  labuurs.  21 

because  Chinese  ia  less  worthy  the  attetttion  of  Europr?a[t  liCerHti 
than  many  other  subjects  to  which  they  do  attend,  but  btcntiae 
application  to  it  is  not  dictated  by  fashion,  nor  by  interest,  nor  by 
natioDul  inteTcoune.  Kngland,  Holland,  Portugal,  and  Amenta, 
have  at  present  most  intercourse  with  China ;  and  their  pecuniary 
interests  are  most  concerned.  ITie  Dutch  government,  indeed, 
rules  over  an  extenaive  colony  of  Chinese  on  Java.  Is  it  expecting 
too  much  of  these  several  governments  to  devote  a  few  hundred 
pounds,  annually,  to  the  cultivation  of  the  language  of  the  people 
with  whom  they  have  extensive  dealings  ?  Is  it  too  much  to  ask 
them  to  give  some  existence,  in  their  public  schools,  to  a  language 
which  contains  many  thousand  volumes  of  original  literature?  Will 
the  Colleges  and  Universities  themselves  not  allow  of  any  appro- 
priation of  their  funds,  nor  any  encouragement  to  iheir  leisure 
members  to  attend  to  this  subject?  Till  a  few  individuals  of  correct 
sentiments  and  feelings,  whose  sole  profession  is  literature  and 
science,  be  supported  by  their  respective  governments,  or  learned 
societies,  to  study  and  teach  the  Chinese  language,  its  character 
cannot  be  fairly  estimated,  nor  can  European  science  be  transfused 
into  it.  The  mind  of  man  is  but  limited.  Merchants  and  Mission- 
aries have  other  objects  to  attend  to  besides  language,  literature, 
and  science.  They  are  not,  therefore,  to  be  hastily  blamed,  because 
they  do  not  perform  all  that  is  desdrable." 

These  interesting  and  important  remarks  show,  that  Dr.  Morrison 
had  ardently  desired  the  more  extensive  cultivation  of  Chinese  lite- 
rature in  Europe  some  time  before  he  attempted  to  introduce  it  into 
England.  Every  one  desirous  of  difiusing  Christian  or  scientific 
knowledge  by  his  personal  efforts  among  the  Chinese,  ought  to  be 
well  versed  in  their  language ;  to  the  attainment  of  which  consi- 
derable acquaintance  with  the  antiquities,  us^s,  manners,  habits 
of  thinking,  and  customs  of  China  is  required;  and  hence  the 
necessity  of  extensive  illuitretions  of  these  subjects  in  dictionaries 
and  other  philological  works. 

This  volume  comprises  the  sounds,  forma,  and  tones,  as  well  aa 
explanations  of  the  character.  The  orthography  of  Dr.  Morrison 
in  this  and  other  parts  of  the  Dictionary,  is  intended  to  convey  the 
pronunciation  of  the  general  language  of  China — the  Mandarin — 
but,  at  the  head  of  each  article,  there  is  also  the  orthography  of  the 
Manuscript  Dictionary  of  the  Roman  Catholics,  and  the  Pronuncia- 
tion of  the  Canton  Dialect ;  as  well  as  tables  of  these  sounds,  placed 
in  parallel  columns  with  the  Mandarin,  at  the  begiiming  of  the 
L  volume,  to  assist  persons  to  find  words  in  this  part  of  the  Dictionary, 
■  cither  by  the  provincial  dialect  of  Canton  or  the  Coulinentol  ortho- 


22  CRITICAL  NOTICES  OP 

graphy  of  the  Mandarin : — the  sounds  of  the  Peking  dialect  are 
also  occasionally  given.  Indeed  this  part  of  the  Dictionary  will  be 
found  exceedingly  useful  to  those  who  sojourn  among  Chinese  of 
whatever  province ;  since  it  contains  a  sufficient  nuniber  of  cha- 
racters for  all  useful  purposes,  the  names  of  which,  in  any  other 
dialect*  could  easily  be  written  over  those  of  the  Mandarin,  on  the 
top  of  the  page.  I  adopted  this  method  in  acquiring  the  Fuh-ktoi 
dialect,  when  residing  among  the  emigrants  from  that  province 
at  Malacca,  receiving  the  sounds  from  the  lips  of  a  native,  which 
I  marked  according  to  my  own  orthography,  and  the  tones  which 
he  distinguished  with  the  usual  native  sign. 

At  the  end  of  this  volume  there  is  a  collection  of  Chinese  names 
of  stars  and  constellations  made  by  John  Reeves,  Esq.  F.  R.  and 
L.  S.,  at  the  request  of  Dr.  Morrison,  who  has  subjoined  the  follow- 
ing note.  '*  To  Mr.  Reeves  the  author  is  also  indebted  for  most  of 
the  names  of  plants  and  other  natural  productions  which  occor  in 
the  Dictionary.  Mr.  Reeves,  by  his  industrious  research  in  China, 
and  readiness  to  communicate  the  result  of  his  efforts,  has  uniformly 
shown  himself  the  friend  of  science  and  the  arts ;  and  the  anthor 
has  much  pleasure  in  thus  publicly  acknowledging  his  obligations 
to  him.*'  This  gentleman  has  pronounced  a  just  eulogium  on  the 
works  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Missionaries  on  European  science 

in  the  Chinese  language,  particularly  one  ^^  ^  ^^  |^  Leufa, 

leih  yuen  yuen,  comprised  in  100  volumes;  **  a  few  of  which 
illustrate  the  theory  of  music  with  the  European  mode  of  nota- 
tion ;  the  others  contain  the  principles  of  mathematics,  apherici, 
the  calculation  of  eclipses,  with  tables  of  the  Sun  and  Moon's 
mean  motions,  nodes,  and  anomaly,  with  tables  of  all  the  necessary 
equations,  tables  of  prime  numbers,  and  factors  of  composite  niun- 
bers,  natural  sines,  logarithms  of  numbers,  logarithmic  sines,  tan- 
gents, &c.  &c.*'  From  lists  of  stars  in  this  elaborate  work.  Bar- 
din's  eighteen-inch  globes,  Bode's  Atlas,  and  two  Planispheres, 
constructed  by  F.  Verbiest,  one  of  the  Jesuit  missionaries,  Mr. 
Reeves  derived  materials  for  his  collection  of  stars  and  constella- 
tions, which  are  arranged  alphabetically ;  he  has  also  given  a  list  of 
ninety-two  stars,  with  their  right  ascension,  declination,  magnitude, 
&c.  &c.  as  copied  from  the  work  above  alluded  to.  Dr.  Morrison 
in  a  note,  remarks  :  "  These  maps  and  the  work  above  described 
are  very  scarce  and  expensive.  I  never  saw  any  other  copies  than 
those  I  possess,  from  which  these  tables  are  derived." 

In  illustration  of  the  other  volimie  belonging  to  this  part  little 
more  will  be  required  than  a  transcription  of  the  table  of  contents 
placed  at  the  beginning.  The  two  volumes  form  a  complete  abridg- 


I 


I 


I 

j_pla 

■  wii 


UH.    MiIHUISHn's  ].lTliH(*HY    LAhdURS.  21 

ment  of  the  whole  Dictionary,  comprising  a  most  valuable  exposi- 
tion of  tbe  sound,  form,  meaning,  and  varied  uae  of  upwards  of 
12,000  symbols  ;  a  greater  number  than  would  be  required  for  an 
acquaintance  with  the  principal  Chinese  works  on  metaphysics, 
philosophy,  history,  commerce,  science,  and  the  arts.  The  first 
point  of  attention  is  the  tables  of  Radicals  or  Primitives,  as  they 
have  been  variously  designated — 214  in  number — with  their  names 
and  iiilerpretation ;  then  follows  an  index  of  the  characters  in  the 
preceding  volume,  arranged  according  to  their  respective  deriva* 
tions  under  each  of  these  roots;  and  by  counting  the  number  of 
(trokes  of  which  a  symbol  consists,  exclusive  of  the  root,  its  pro- 
nunciation is  obtained,  which  directs  to  the  place  of  its  definition. 
There  is  a  third  table  of  "  classified  characters,"  placed  according 
to  the  number  of  strokes  in  each,  including  the  root,  which  it  ia 
designed  to  point  out  in  complicated  symbols;  it  is  taken  from  tbe 
Imperial  Dictionary,  beginning  from  the  right  hand,  in  the  Chinese 
manner,  and  contains  many  characters,  to  be  found  only  in  the  firrt 
part  of  the  Dictionary.  In  the  first  and  second  pages  of  the  table 
the  compound  form  is  given ;  as  P'an  tsung  jin  chay,  shuh  jin  poo, 
"all  parts  of  characters  written  thus  n  belong  to  the  ^A  jint 
ndical."  Next  follow  the  characters  arranged  under  one  stroke  of 
the  pencil,  of  which  the  six  first  are  styled  heads  of  cJaases,  being 
themselves  roots ;  the  two  subsequent  characters  are  under  the  root 
i  Peib,  and  so  of  the  rest."  This  is  a  valuable  portion  of  the 
Dictionary  to  a  student  who  has  no  director  of  his  studies  to  sug- 
gest the  appropriate  root,  or  to  furnish  him  with  a  definition  of  the 
lymbol.  The  fourth  table — p6en  tsze — "different  characters,"  is 
framed  for  the  purpose  of  disiingiiiahing  similar  characters,  begin- 
liSing  with  two  that  are  alike,  and  proceeding  to  three,  four,  and 
ijBve,  that  are  similar,  but  really  diflerent ;  for  there  are  often  varieties 
of  form  to  one  character,  while  there  are  many  characters  closely 
resembling  each  other  that  are,  nevertheless,  perfectly  distinct, 
table  is  also  taken  from  the  Imperial  Dictionary,  and  the  ex- 
planations are  given  in  Chinese,  which  the  student  of  the  language 
will  after  a  short  time  be  able  to  understand.  The  fifth  table  con- 
diti  of  English  sounds  arranged  alphabetically,  from  which  a  refer. 
is  made  by  figures  to  the  Chinese  symbols  in  tbe  preceding 
volume.  "  It  is  expected,"  says  the  author,  "  that  this  will  be  of 
use  to  students  who  have  made  some  progress  in  the  language,  by 
suggesting  words  when  they  apeak  or  compose  in  Chinese."  The  sixth 
table,  Fung  wu.n,  is  a  collection  of  various  modes  of  writing  the 
same  character,  containing  examples  of  the  running  hand  and  seal 
character,  in  the  same  manner  as  in  the  body  of  the  work,  where 


24  CRITICAL  NOTICES   OF 

the  definitions  are  given.  *•  By  reviewing  and  copying  this  collec- 
tion of  characters,"  Dr.  M.  remarks,  **the  student  will  become  ac* 
quainted  with  the  running  hand,  some  knowledge  of  which  is  indis- 
pensable for  practical  purposes,  since  letters  and  other  documenti 
are  very  generally  written  in  it;  and  the  European  student  who 
wishes  to  write  in  it,  can,  by  this  arrangement,  find  characters  with 
more  facility  than  in  the  body  of  the  Dictionary."  The  volume 
contains  upwards  of  300  pages,  the  matter  of  which,  as  it  will  appeu 
from  the  above  review  of  it,  is  most  valuable  to  the  solitary  student 
of  Chinese,  whom  it  will  assist  to  decypher  abbreviated  forms  of 
characters  in  popular  works ;  in  the  manuscript  documents  of  the 
government;  in  private  cominunications ;  in  more  formal  compon- 
tions  of  the  character  occurring  in  ancient  works  on  ceremonies  and 
antiquities ;  in  inscriptions  on  badges  of  official  distinction,  colomiof 
the  army,  vases,  shields,  sceptres,  &c.  which  are  generally  engraven 
in  the  ancient  seal  character  now  used  in  attestation  of  legal  docu- 
ments or  covenants  of  any  kind.  Perhaps  our  reference  to  this 
volume  may  not  be  improperly  concluded  by  a  description  of  die 
different  modes  of  writing  the  Chinese  character ;  they  are  designated, 

first,  the  ^[g  ^  Keae  shoo,  or  *  elegant  form,'  which  is  usuallj 
employed  in  official  papers  and  the  printed  literature  of  the  countiyi 
and  was  invented  by  ^  ^  -^|  Wang-tsze-chung  of  the  dynasty  5 
Tsin,  in  the  third  century  of  the  Christian  era;  secondly,  the 
^j'  ^  hing  shoo,  which  holds  a  middle  place  between  the  cof- 
rect  form  and  running  hand ;  thirdly,  the  ^  ^Jf?  tsaou  tsze,  oi 
'  grass  character,'  of  which  there  are  frequently  two  or  three  exam- 
ples ;  it  is  a  sort  of  running  hand  prepared,  it  is  said,  by  jdb  ^ 
She-yew,  for  the  service  of  government  to  save  time  in  wridn^ 
though  the  use  of  it  is  not  permitted  in  official  documents ;  fourthly, 
^^  ^a  -S-  1®  shoo,  which  derives  its  name  from  some  inferior 
officers  in  public  courts,  who  are  said  to  have  framed  it  on  the 
authority  of  Tsin,  the  first  universal  monarch  of  China,  became 
the  seal  character  then  in  use  was  foimd  to  be  extremely  incoo- 
venient;  but  others  affirm  that  Ching-miih  invented  it  during  his 
imprisonment;  it  closely  resembles  the  keae,  and  scarcely  retaini 
any  likeness  to  the  ancient  form;  fifthly,  the  ^  ^  seaoa 
chuen,  or  '  seal  character,'  already  alluded  to ;   and  sixthly,  the 

^  ^  koo  w&n,  or  ancient  mode  of  writing,  which  is  now  out  of 
use. 

The  tliird  part  of  the  Dictionary,  English  and  Chinese,  compriaing 
about  500  quarto  pages,  contains  not  only  English  words  and 


DR.  Morrison's  literary  labours.  25 

phrases,  rendered  by  correspondiag  terms  into  Chinese,  but  nume- 
rowB  Chinese  senttmeDts  and  maxims,  both  in  tiie  language  of  their 
respective  authors  and  translated  iiilo  Enghsh,  together  with 
valuable  information  on  Bome  practical  subjects.  But  notwith- 
standing the  utility  of  this  volume,  it  is  more  likely  to  create  disap- 
pointment to  an  English  student  of  Chinese  than  either  of  the  other 
parts,  which  may  truly  be  said  to  furnish  ample  materials  for  an 
extensive  and  accurate  knowledge  of  the  language,  and  much  of  the 
literature  of  China ;  their  object  being  to  convey  ideas  from  Chinese 
into  English,  by  means  of  verbal  renderings,  and  classica!  and  collo- 
quial phrases  judiciously  selected  and  well  translated ;  while  this 
part,  designed  to  assist  Englishmen  to  clothe  their  own  thoughts  in 
Chinese  phraseology,  can  only  be  successfully  executed  by  English 
phrases  being  represented  in  Chmeae  idioms,  which  should  be 
arranged  under  those  words  and  terms  to  which  they  correspond. 
Perhaps  one  reason  why  the  design  of  this  part  has  been  less  per- 
fectly secured,  will  be  found  in  the  mode  of  translating  passages 
from  native  books  into  English,  which,  though  the  most  valuable 
for  communicating  knowledge  of  Chinese  subjects  and  idioms,  is 
less  likely  than  the  one  we  have  mentioned  to  furnish  the  English 
student  with  a  ready  method  of  conveying  his  own  conceptions  and 
impressions  in  theChinese  idiom;  of  this  the  author  seems  to  be  aware 
when  he  says  in  the  Preface,  "  the  collection  of  words  and  phrases 
here  presented  will  afford  important  assistance  to  a  student  of  the 
language,  but  it  will  not  enable  a  person  wholly  ignorant  of  Chinese 
to  express  his  thoughts  in  that  language,  hy  a  bare  reference  to  the 
English  words  here  given."  His  own  brief  history  of  this  volume 
is  interesting.  "  Thirteen  years  have  elapsed  since  the  author  first 
began  to  collect  words  for  this  part  of  his  Dictionary,  and  dnring 
the  whole  of  that  time  gradual  additions  have  been  made  to  it :  hut 
completeness  in  it  is  not  practicable;  the  ramiHcatians  of  words 
and  phrases  are  so  numerous,  as  to  make  a  complete  collection  of 
them  in  Chinese,  exactly  corresponding  to  those  used  in  English,  a 
work  too  extensive  for  a  single  individual  during  even  the  whole  of 
a  long  life."  The  following  additional  remark  is  important :  "  The 
Indexes  to  the  other  parts  of  the  Dictionary  will  supply  some  defects 
which  may  exist  here ;  and  if  the  student  refer  from  the  Chinese 
characters  given  in  this  part,  to  their  dehnitions  in  the  Rrst  and 
second  parts,  he  will  often  find  more  information  respecting  the  use 
of  words,  and  will  occasionally,  by  a  comparison  of  the  several 
parts,  observe  errors  and  be  able  to  correct  them."  The  following 
quotations  illustrate  the  manner  in  which  this  portion  of  the  work 
haa  been  executed.  Under  the  word  "  Heaven,'*  in  addition  to  its  or- 


26  CRITICAL   NOTICJS8   OF 

dinary  acceptations  among  the  Chinese,  those  passages  are  introduced 
which  the  Jesuits  quoted  from  native  authors,  during  their  extended 
controversy  ahout  the  proper  term  for  God.     ^'  Many  of  the  ahove 
quotations,"  says  Dr.  M.  "arefrom  the  ancient  classics  of  China;  were 
the  text  addressed  to  the  mind  of  a  Jew  or  Christian,  it  woidd  call 
up  more  rational  views  of  God,  than  the  pommentaries  of  the  Chinese 
later  writers  will  admit  of;  and  whatever  may  be  the  usage  in  some 
northern  parts  of  China,  in  the  colloquial  phrase,  T€en  laou  yaj, 
giving  a  sort  of  personality  to  heaven,  it  is  not  the  usage  in  the 
south ;  their  usual  phrase  is  TSen  Te,  '  Heaven  and  Earth,*  which, 
united,  bewilder  the  mind,  and  leave  no  distinct  idea  of  a  Supreme 
Being.*'    The  various  terms  employed  by  the  Confucians,  Budd- 
hists,  Philosophical  sect,  Mahometans,  and  Christians,  to  denote 
the  overruling  power,  with  the  Chinese  meaning  attached  to  each 
term,  are  briefly  enumerated  under  the  word  "  Gt>d."     The  author 
not  only  gives  abstract  terms  of  metaphysical  and  moral  science, 
which  might  be  considered  as  appropriate  to  his  predilections  and 
studies,  but  those  also  which  relate  to  the  arts  of  life ;  as  for  ei- 
ample,  under  the  word  ''  porcelain,''  there  are  extracts  on  the  mode 
of  manufacturing  it,  from  a  Chinese  work,  in  four  volumes,  entitied 
*  King  tih  chin  taou  luh,'  records  of  the  porcelain  manu&ctoxy  al 
King  tJh  chin — ^the  most  ancient  and  celebrated  mart  in  ChizM— 
which  derives  its  name  from  the  emperor  King-tih,  who  patitmiied 
the  trade,   a.d.  1000.    K^n-lung  sent  a  person  from  court  to 
make  twenty  drawings  of  the  process  of  the  workmanship,  each  of 
which,  in  the  thirty-fiflh  volume  of  the  work.  Lung  mei  pe  shoo, 
is  mentioned  with  explanatory  notes.     The   subjects    to   whidi 
they  relate.  Dr.  Morrison  has  described  in  English,   after  having 
stated  the  technical  native  terms  used   by  the  workmen  for  the 
materials,   and    the   mode   of  manufacturing    them    in    different 
stages  of  the  operation.     We  cannot  transcribe  any  of  his  quo- 
tations  except    the    last  of    them,    which   is    Sze    Shin    chow 
yuen    fl6    ;1^  Sffl    SS    sacrificing  and  givmg    thanks   to  the 
gods.'     The  concourse  of  people  at  King-tih-chin  is  very  great  and 
much  stress  is  laid  on  this  ceremony.     There  are  from  two  to  three 
hundred  furnaces,  and  several  hundred  thousand  workmen  ;  they 
1^   iC  3?0  i^  ^   M  'waitforfire,  as  man  does  for  rain' in 
time  of  drought.     At  one  of  these  sacrifices,  a  lad's  being  self- 
devoted  to  the  flames,  and  thereby  procuring  great  blessings,  is  on 
record."  There  are  notices  also  in  this  article  of  other  furnaces  the 
first  of  which  was  at  Chang-nae,  in  the  province  of  Keang-se,  and 
sent  tribute  to  the  court  of  Woo-tih,  a.d.  630;  those  at  Canton  and 
Corea,  particularly  the  latter,  are  in  a  flourishing  condition. — Under 


DR.    MOKRISON'a   LITKHARV    LAIiOUKh.  27 

the  word  "ethics,''  Dr.  M.  remarks:  "A  favourable  specimen  in 
coiiUuned  in  the  fotlowiag  essay,  the  real  writer  of  which  it  tiot 
known,  but  which  is  b;  pioiia  fraud  attributed  to  Kwan-foo-tsxe,  n 
famous  deified  warrior  of  the  diird  century,  under  the  title  of  •  Kwan- 
sliiiig-te  keun-keA-sbe-chin  kin  :'  A  true  scripture  lo  awaken  the 
world  by  the  Holy  Imperial  Prince  Kwan-te."  The  essay  is  divided 
into  thirty  paragraphs  of  two  hnes  each,  with  the  exception  of  the 
eleventh,  which  contains  three.  It  begins — "  Venerate  heaven  and 
earth  ;  perform  the  riles  to  the  gods  ;  worship  your  ancestors  ;  be 
dutiful  to  your  parents ;  ('i)  keep  the  kiug'slaws,  revere  your  teacher* 
and  superiors ;  love  your  brothers,  and  be  true  to  your  friends," 
The  ti(ih  is,  "  Found  and  repair  temples,  print  and  make  moral  and 
religious  books.  Supply  medicine,  give  tea,  avoid  killing  animals, 
and  liberate  them  to  live."  The  tenth  and  eleventh  are,  "  Letevery 
virtuous  deed  be  heartily  believed  and  reverently  practised.  Al- 
though man  sees  it  not,  the  gods  have  already  heard  it.  Happinesa 
will  be  increased,  long  life  added,  sons  bom,  and  grandsons  ob< 
tained.  Judgments  will  be  dtsaipaled,  sickness  diminished,  calami- 
tities  will  not  aasail.  Men  and  animals  will  all  enjoy  rqiose,  and 
felicitous  stars  shed  their  auspicious  mduences."  We  cannot  quote 
more  from  this  article.  The  remainder  of  the  paragraphs  chiefly 
enumerate  the  offences  of  which  men  are  guilty,  and  the  judgmeuta 
which  may  consequently  be  ejcpected  to  overtake  llieni.  Transla- 
tions of  these  and  similar  passages,  especially  as  the  sounds  of  the 
characters  are  given  in  the  Roman  letter,  are  helpful  lo  the  student 
in  acquiring  the  language,  and  in  enabling  him  to  communicate  hi* 
thooglits  in  it  with  precision.  The  original  writer  in  Chinese  often 
feels  at  a  loss  for  suitable  expressions  whereby  lo  convey  moral  and 
religious  truth.  The  difficulty  ties  in  preser%'ing  the  native  idiomi 
without  sacrificing  a  Christian  sentiment,  to  which  the  language  has 
been  unaccustomed,  to  a  Pagan  one  with  which  it  is  perfectly  familiar, 
fiut  if  we  do  not  hud  a  word  or  phrase  to  suit  our  purpose  under 
one  English  term,  we  may  meet  with  it  under  another  of  the  same 
class,  though  not  perfectly  synonymous,  ever  remembering  that  dif- 
ferent ideas  have  not  always  the  same  distinct  forms  of  repre- 
sentation in  Chinese  as  in  English ;  and  that  under  words  of  com- 
prehensive import,  sentences  are  quoted  to  illustrate,  not  only  the 
mode  in  which  particular  ideas  should  be  conveyed,  but  the  man- 
ners, belief,  superstitions,  and  usages  of  the  Chinese,  on  various 
important  points,  from  which  assistance  in  composition  can  be  de- 
rived. The  word  "  Kalendar"  may  be  adduced  as  an  example,  under 
which  the  following  remarks  occur.  "  Thera  are  several  Kniendars 
printed  by  private  individuals,  which  ore  generally  considted  by  all 


28  CRITICAL  NOTICES  OF 

Chinese  in  the  ordinaiy  affairs  of  life.     Besides  the  list  of  the  days 
of  the  month,  they  contain  lucky  and  unlucky  days,  birthdays  of 
the  gods,  the  days  on  which  the  emperors  and  empresses  of  the 
reigning  family  died,  &c.  &c.     The  following  is  a  specimen  of  the 
Chinese  Kalendar  for  (the  present  emperor's)  Taou-kwaiig*s  first 
year,  which  hegan  on  Feh.  3,  1821.     The  first  moon  is  a  little  one, 
containing  twenty-nine  days.    The  first  day  is  called  tsoo-yih,  or 
yuen-tan,  the  hirthday  of  T^n-1&,  and  the  sacred  birthday  of  Melih 
Buddh,  and  of  the  great  general  Chay,  which  is  an  idol  worshipped 
by  shopmen.     When  a  shop  is  prosperous,  it  sometimes  happeu 
that  people  steal  their  god  to  give  it  to  some  friend,  that  be  also 
may  prosper.     *'  The  god  of  joy  is  on  the  south-west."     Wheoa 
person  first  sets  his  foot  on  the  floor,  after  rising  out  of  bed  on  the 
first  day  of  the  new  year,  he  should  walk  towards  the  god  of  joj.'' 
The  god  of  wealth  is  directly  south,  and  should  be  met  by  thoie 
who  wish  to  be  rich.    The  god  of  mischief  is  on  the  north-east,  and 
should  he  avoided.    A  variety  of  lucky  and  unlucky  periods  ue 
mentioned  with  the  charms  hy  which  evil  influences  may  be  averted. 
*'  On  the  first  day  of  the  fifth  moon  persons  adorn  their  domestic 
altars  with  Acorus  calamus,  and  a  species  of  artemisia^  the  first  to 
represent  a  sword,  and  the  other  a  waving  hanner.     This  senteooe 
forms  part  of  the  ceremony : — ^a  calamus  sword  cuts  off  a  thousmd 
ciu-ses;  an  artemisia  flag  invites  a  hundred  blessings.     The  fifth 
day  of  this  moon  is  thought  to  be  extremely  lucky.     At  noon  of 
this  day  the  following  charm  is  written  on]  paper,  and  pasted  up  is 
difierent  parts  of  the  house : — 

'  On  the  fifth  day  of  the  moon  I  wrote  this  at  noon, 
May  aU  litigations  and  altercations  be  quite  excluded ; 
May  snakes  and  insects,  and  rats  and  ants,  all  ran  away; 
May  a  hundred  diseases,  and  a  thousand  calamities,  be  every  one  ezpeUedi' 

To  this  are  added,  from  the  Yih-king,  the  four  lucky  words,  *  Yuen, 
leang,  le,  ching,*  which  a  native  commentator  explains  by  teims 
signifying  '  greatness,  pervading  influence,  propriety,  and  correct- 
ness.' This  day  is  called  the  Uiree-fold  death  day.  If  one  death 
takes  place  other  two  funerals  will  be  sure  to  succeed  in  tbe  fiunilj. 
To  avoid  this  evil,  the  deceased  person  is  left  to  lieunsbroudedtfast 
day,  and  a  party  of  Taou  priests  are  called  to  perform  certain  rites, 
and  to  ofler  a  fowl,  an  egg,  and  a  piece  of  pork,  at  the  gate,  all  of 
which  they  take  away  with  them.  This  procedure  is  supposed  to 
avert  the  dreaded  evil." 

Under  the  word  ^'  die,'*  there  are  quotations  from  native  authon 
which  express  the  sentiments  of  difierent  Chinese  sects  on  the  sub- 
ject of  death,  and  the  terms  employed  to  denote  tbat  event.    Hie 


I 


r 


DR.   MORRISON  8  LITERARY   LABOURS. 


■29 


Buddhists  use  the  phrase  "  departed  to  the  weat,"  where  they  B»y 
heaven  is:  "going  to  life,"  of  which  Ihey  profess  lo  have  pre  Bcnli- 
ments ;  "  gone  on  a  ramble  among  the  angels ;"  "  become  a  guest 
above," or"ieft  the  world."  Others  use  the  terms  "annihilated;"  the 
"spirit  isdissotved"  or"  dissipated,"  or"  returned  to  hades."  The  fol- 
lowing passages,  which  Dr.  M,  has  translated,  contain  doctrines  on 
the  event  of  death :  "  When  a  man  dies,  his  hwSn  or  soul,  flies  uplo 
heaven ;  his  plh  or  spirit  falls  down  to  the  water  springs  (in  hades) ; 
the  wat«r  and  fire  (of  which  the  man  was  compounded)  are  separated 
and  dispersed,  and  each  returns  to  its  original  source."  The  follow- 
ing quotation  is  from  a  Buddhist ;  "  Fung-kwan  said,  if  she  must 
die,  it  is  certain  we  cannot  detain  her,  but  her  breath  is  not  yet  cut 
asunder,  and  we  must  do  all  that  is  in  man's  power.  I'll  go  lo  the 
temple  of  her  ladyship  (the  queen  of  heaven)  bum  incense,  and  tell 
the  sincere  desires  of  my  heart ;  whether  the  goddess  will  be  moved 
to  confer  recovery  or  not  is  uncertain."  The  different  words  ap- 
plied to  the  death  of  persons  of  different  rank  are  given ;  as  sze  tor 
tn  ordinary  individual ;  hung,  for  a  nobleman  or  prince ;  and  ping 
fbr  an  emperor,  which  signifies  "  to  rush  down  as  a  &lling  moun- 
tain."  The  last  remark  on  this  suliject  which  we  shall  transcribe, 
exhibits  a  custom  prevalent  among  the  Chinese  at  the  death  of  cer- 
Uda  persons — "  The  clothes,  chair,  boat,  &c., which  deceased  persons 
used  during  life  are  burnt  at  their  death  lo  follow  them  into 
the  invisible  state,  and  altogether  are  called  ming-ke.  Shaou 
fcwo  ho  e,  *'  to  burn  the  garments  for  passing  the  river;  also,  Keaou 
foo,  chair  bearers  made  of  paper;  chuen  foo,  boatmen;  yin  tsifa,  a 
house  for  hades,"  Stc.  This  year  a  rich  man's  wardrobe,  worth  a 
thousand  dollars,  was  burnt  at  his  death  in  Canton  (1821)." 

Under  the  word  "  weigh,"  the  following  remarks  occur.  Weight* 
and  measures  of  the  Chinese,  are  comprehended  under  the  four 
words,  leuh,  too,  leang,  h&ng,  the  fistula,  or  long  measure,  dry  mea- 
sure, and  weights.  They  consider  the  iiatula,  or  ancient  musical 
reed,  hwang-chuug,  the  foundation  of  all  measures  and  weights  and 
numbers.  This  reed,  of  a  determinate  length  and  diameter,  became 
the  standard  of  weights  and  measures,  according  to  the  number  of 
grains  of  com  which  it  contained.  In  long  measure,  it  is  a  question 
whether  they  were  grains  disposed  length-wise  or  cross-wise.  One 
hundred  grains,  placed  cross. leUe,  make  the  ancient  cubit,  which 
measures  nearly  10  inches,  and  each  inch  is  divided  into  ten  parts; 
100  grains  placed  length-foi»e,  make  the  modern  cubit,  which  (in 
the  standard  work  from  which  this  is  taken)  measures  12)  inches. 
The  government  covid  at  Canton  is  14  inches  625  decimals.  In 
the  reed  1200  grains  constituted  the  lowest  denomination,  which. 


80  CRITICAL  NOTICES   OF 

in  long  measure,  is  the  tenth  part  of  an  inch.     The  preceding 
statement  is  that  which  is  approved;  other  ancient  authoritief 
state  the  matter  differently ;  thus,  one  says  ten  hairs  of  a  horse's 
tail  make  a  fun,  or  the  tenth  of  an  inch ;  another  says  a  fibrous 
thread,  emitted  by  the  silk-worm,  b  called  hwiih,  ten  hwiih  make  a 
sze,  ten  sze  make  a  haou,  ten  haou  make  a  le,  and  ten  le  make 
a  fim.     The  foundation  of  land  measure  is  explained,  by  **  once 
raising  the  foot,  t.  e,  one  step,  two  of  which  are  a  pace."     Other 
methods  of  measuring  were  adopted  by  the  ancients,  some  of  which 
are  stated  by  Dr.  M.  who  remarks  : — *•  In  different  ages,  and  in  dif- 
ferent  nations  of  China,  superficial  measures,  measiures  of  contents, 
and  weights  had  various  names,  which  it  b  impossible  to  compare 
and  render  uniform.  Government  has,  therefore,  fixed  on  the  Chang 
as  the  standard  of  long  measure,  with  which  the  greater  and  smalkr 
denominations  must  be  compared ;  the  Shih  as  the  standard  of  dry 
measure ;  and  Leang  as  the  standard  of  weights."     Twenty-thne 
measures  are  then  given  from  the  chang  or  ten  cubits,  downwards  in 
decimal  ratio  to  tsing  tsing,  ^^  absolute  purity,"  which  is  the  tenth 
part  of  heu  kung,  '^  vacuum,"  and  the  lowest  denomination.    In  diy 
measure  there  is  the  same  decimal  process  from  shth,  a  stone  to 
suh,  a  grain,  including  eight  denominations.     In  weight,  from  the 
leang  or  tael  downwards  to  hwijh,  which  is  the  seventh,  and  on- 
wards the  same  as  long  measure.    The  notation  or  numeration  of 
all  quantities  is  then  given,  from  a  unit  upwards,  proceeding  deci- 
mally to  the  twenty-first  place,  woo  leang  soo,  **  infinite  number  " 
which  in  European  notation  would  amount  to  321  trillions,  987  654 
billions,  321,987  millions,  654,321;'* — a  sufiicient  proof  of  tbe 
superior  power  of  communication  possessed  by  the  83rmbolic  mode, 
since  an  alphabetic  language  requires  so  many  words  to  expre* 
what  is  contained  in  three  simple  Chinese  characters ;  the  wonk 
yTh  a  million,  and  chaou  a  billion,  also  illustrate  the  same  point 
Dr.  M.  remarks — **  Besides  the  notations  advancing  decimally  ai 
above,  some  advance  by  tens  of  thousands ;  others  by  xnuldplyinc 
every  number  into  itself,  or  squaring  it." — Under  the  word  **  botany," 
there  is  an  extract  from  an  index,  prepared  by  Mr.  Beeves  to  tlie 
Pun-tsaou,  a  native  work,  which  Dr.  Morrison  describes  as  the  beit 
pharmacoepeia  and  botanical  book  in  China.     The  divisions  of  tbe 
subject  are  into  classes — genera — ^and  species.  There  are  five  clasMt 
— shrubs  and  herbs  ;  gramina  or  grains,  that  serve  for  food ;  ediUe 
herbaceous  plants ;  fruits ;  and  trees ;  under  each  of  which  a  brief 
description  is  given  of  the  subdivisions  which  they  include.    Under 
the  word  ''  flower,'*  there  are  the  Chinese  names  of  143  plants  whidi 
flower  or  blossom  each  month  of  the  year  at  Canton»  with  their 


nil.   MMRIHSOn's  LITERAHV    LABOURS.  til 

lorresponding  icieutilic  tiaines  contributed  by  Mr.  Reeves.  It  will 
lot  be  ill  our  power  lo  enlarge  on  the  contents  of  this  volume.  Our 
object  has  been  two-fold — first,  lo  exhibit  suf&cient  specimens  of  the 
manner  iu  which  the  author  has  accompIiBhed  his  arduous  task ; 
and  secondly,  to  select  such  topics  as  might  withal  be  interesting  to 
the  general  reader.  The  value  of  the  information  communicated, 
and  the  fidelity  with  which  the  trannlation  of  passages  from  Chinese 
authors  has  been  executed,  must  commend  the  work  to  ihe  Chinese 
student  as  a  most  important  auxiliary  to  the  acquisition  of  the  lan- 
guage. Without  minutely  criticising  the  author's  style  of  English 
'com position,  it  may  be  safely  affirmed,  with  regard  to  the  nume- 
rous passages  quoted  from  native  authors,  that  he  has  admirably 
'United  strict  adherence  to  the  original,  with  an  intelligible  and 
"idiomatic  translation ;  and  in  this  peculiarity,  as  a  translator,  will  be 
found,  perhaps,  his  chief  excellence. 


ON  THE  TRANSLATION  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


TiiK  delicate  task  of  translating  the  Bible,  to  be  efficiently  per- 
formed, requires,  on  the  part  of  the  translator,  the  combined  influ- 
«nce  of  piety,  learning,  and  wisdom,  a  correct  apprehension  of  its 
ipirit,  and  a  faithful  selection  of  such  terms  and  phrases  as  will,  in 
his  judgment,  best  express  the  sense  of  the  original,  llie  authority 
of  Divine  Revelation,  the  sacred  subjects  on  which  it  treats,  with 
the  professed  design  of  its  promulgation  in  the  world,  should  inspire 
him  with  a  noble  superiority  to  party  prejudice  and  personal  predi- 
lections. No  excuse  can  be  adiiiitted  for  ignorance  or  carelessness, 
in  a  work  designed  to  communicate  to  multitudes  of  human  licmgs, 
impressions  of  the  mind  and  character  of  God,  which  will  in  all 
probability  be  permanent.  MisTepresenUtion  on  those  points, 
through  inadvertency  or  design,  can  only  be  avoided  by  the  essen- 
tial prerequisites  of  a  sound  understanding  and  an  upright  heart ; 
tile  presence  of  which  will  be  sufficiently  attested  in  the  choice  of 
individual  expressions,  and  the  general  style  and  composition  of 
the  work.  A  careful  inquiry  should  be  instituted  into  the  precise 
Bigii  ill  cation  of  terms,  designed  to  constitute  the  signs  of  iniportAnt 
theological  ideas ;  or,  in  other  words,  to  represent  to  man  the  per- 
I  fections,  truth,  and  proceedings  of  God. 

The  Chinese  language  presents  difficulties  peculiar  to  itself;  ttoni 
its  symbolic  nature;  from  the  numerous  significations  fVequently 
attached  to  one  character ;  from  the  difference  subsisting  between 
it*  rliisiical  and  ordinary  idioms,  and  from  the  singularity  of  its 


32  CRITICAL   NOTICES  OF 

general  structure,  compared  with  that  of  other  tongues.  In  older 
to  illuBtrate  the  chief  characteristics  of  Dr.  Morrison's  versioii  of 
the  Holy  Scriptures  into  Chinese,  attention  is  requested  to  the  fol- 
lowing syllabus : — first,  to  the  words  used  to  represent  important 
objects  and  doctrines,  such  as  those  for  6od»  Christ,  the  Holy 
Spirit,  Heaven,  Hell,  Justification,  the  Atonement,  RegeneratioD, 
Sanctification,  &c. ;  secondly,  to  the  method  by  which  proper  namei 
have  been  transferred ;  thirdly,  to  the  manner  in  which  the  different 
kinds  of  style,  as  the  Historical,  Poetical,  Prophetical,  Didactic,  and 
Narrative,  have  been  represented  in  Chinese;  fourthly,  a  biief 
statement  of  the  general  character  of  the  work.  With  regard  to  the 
first  proposition,  I  would  begin  with  the  word  used  to  designate 
God.     From  a  careful  consideration  of  the  subject,  it  appears  thai 

each  of  the  following  terms,  J^  ffe^  Shang-te  *  Supreme  Bukr,' 
5^  TSen,  *  Heaven,*  -jf^  ^  Shin  Choo,  **  Divine  Lord,"  ^  Choo, 

'Lord,'    and    ja^  Shin,   'God,'  demands  due  consideration  in 

the  choice  of   a   word  to  denote    the  God  of    the  ScriptuzoL 
Shang-te  was  originally  selected  for  this  purpose  by  the  Roman 
Catholics ;  which  some  other  Chinese  scholars,  studying  the  lan- 
guage for  biblical  purposes,  have  also  considered  as  the  most  ap- 
propriate term.    The  following  reasons  are  assigned  in  fiivour  of 
it,  by  a  writer  in  the  *'  Gleaner  ;"*  first,  its  antiquity,  which  has  ren- 
dered it  venerable ;  secondly,  the  individuality  of  the  being  it  is 
supposed  to  represent,  without  duality^  multiplicity,  or  a  feminine 
partner;  thirdly,  its  superiority  in  some  points  to  other  deities,  with 
which  it  receives  simultaneous  homage,  while  it  is  not  defective  is 
any  qualities  attributed  to  them ;  fourthly,  its  receiving  a  sort  d 
supremacy  from  all  the   principal   sects  of  China;    fifthly,  the 
reverence  inspired  by  the  use  of  the  term;  sixthly,  the  alleged  pI^ 
sidency  of  that  power  over  other  deities."     I  have  not  quoted  tk 
phraseology  but  the  sentiments  of  the  writer ;  from  whom,  howevcCf 
I  differ,  both  with  regard  to  the  propriety  of  transferring  the  term  ta 
the  Scriptures  as  the  ordinary  designation  of  God,  and  the  correct* 
ness  of  his  opinion  on  some  of  the  ideas  it  is  said  to  suggest  to  the 
Chinese.     If,  indeed,  this  term  were  employed,  the  Supreme  Being, 
in  every  act  of  worship  professedly  rendered  to  Him,  would  thereby 
be  identified  in  the  Chinese  mind  with  that  particular  deity,  to 
which  as  a  sort  of  general  superintendent,  they  have  been  supeisti- 
tiously  attached  from  time  immemorial ;  and  thus  their  idolatrom 
associations  would  be  strengthened  by  the  very  means   used  to 

*  Indo-Cbineie  Gleaner: — A  monthly  periodical, formerly  puUialwd  at 
Malacca,  under  the  anperintendence  of  Dr.  MUne. 


DB.    MORRISON  S  LITERARY  LABOURS. 


33 


0  It  pre- 
t;  albeit 
e  nature 


remove  ihem.  To  every  one  acquainted  with  Chioese  writers  oa 
tlie  subject  it  must,  1  think,  be  evident  that  Sbang-te  and  Teen  are 
_  both  used  to  denote  the  First  Cause ;  if,  indeed,  it  Le  lawful  to  apply 
1  to  an  impersonal  existence.  The  following  passage 
1  the  She-king,  which  is  the  most  ancient  collection  of  odes 
1  the  Chinese  language,  confirms  this  opinion : — "  The 
Mcendanls  of  the  Shang  dynast;  numbered  more  than  100,000 
;  Shang-te,  '  the  supreme  ruler,'  decreed  their  subjugation 
iW,  for  heaven's  decree  is  not  invariable — that  is,  is  not  always 
ur  of  one  dynasty  or  family."  Here  Sbang-te  and  Teen  are 
s  synonymous  terms,  to  indicate  the  source  of  that  decree 
regulates  the  condilioa  and  controls  the  destinies  of  mortals, 
especially  such  as  occu])y  the  high  places  of  the  earth,  while  it  is 
equivalent,  in  some  of  the  prerogatives  and  perfections  with  which 
it  is  invested,  to  the  Jupiter  Optimus  Maximus  of  the  more  western 
ancients.  Sul  whether  it  be  omnipotent,  omnipresent,  infinitely 
wise,  or  even  inteUigent,  is  a  point  to  be  decided  by  native  autho- 
rities alone,  in  which,  if  there  be  any  operation  attributed  t 
dioable  of  Jehovah,  it  is  that  of  a  superintending  providence 
^Ufuompanied  with  other  ascriptions,  utterly  repugnant  to  tl 
^Kif  an  almighty,  ever-living,  aud  unchangeable  existence. 
jHf  The  prerogatives  of  Shang-te,  according  lo  the  sense  of  the  words, 
I  are  restricted  to  the  single  act  of  ruling  the  world.  But  Shang-te 
is  the  same  as  Teen,  and  Teen  is  synonymous  with  J-^  Le,  and 
Le,  according  to  Chinese  philosophers,  is  but  another  name  for 
^  ^^i  Tae.keTh,  "  the  highest  point,"  or  ^  j^  Woo-kelh, 
"  no  point ;"  that  is,  the  abstract  essence,  or  innate  principle,  of 
primary  matter,  which  originated,  per^'ades,  and  animates  the  ma- 
terial universe — the  an'tma  mundi  of  the  Platonists,  beyond  which 
the  mind  cannot  reach.  Now  things  that  are  equal  to  the  same 
are  equal  to  one  another ;  wherefore,  since  Shang-te  is  synony. 
mous  with  "heaven,"  and  "heaven"  is  explained  by  Le,  Shang-te 
must  be  the  same  as  Le;  whence  this  designation,  supposeil  by 
some  foreign  Chinese  scholars  lo  be  descriptive  of  the  true  God, 
~"  I,  according  lo  native  expositors,  no  more  than  a  personification 
^the  indivisible  principle— Le  or  Tae-keth — which  is  professedly 
innd  everywhere,  but  in  reality  exists  nowhere.  In  the  writings 
e  philosophers  niunerous  proofs  occur,  that  no  other 
tntliority  is  ascribed  to  Shang-te  than  that  of  ordaining,  by  a  kind 
ical  fate,  the  destiny  of  man,  which,  however,  his  con- 
luct  and  influence  may  overrule  ;  and  that  its  application  to  such 
I  imaginary  supernatural  power  or  agency,  is  derived  from  its 
1  earth  to  denote  supreme  authority  and  government ;  but  [ 
[  Vol.  II.  c 


34  CRITICAL   NOTICES  OF 

never  could  learn  that  attributea  of  infinite  wisdom,  onmipoten 
eternity,  immutability,  self- existence,  or  any  other  perfection  pi 
dicable  of  Jehovah,  were  applied  to  it  No  greater  homage 
rendered  to  Shang-te  by  emperors  than  to  the  spirits  of  their  d 
ceased  ancestors  and  parents,  whom,  having  deified  them,  they  ser 
with  the  most  profound  outward  veneration  which  hmnan  beings  a 
evince ;  for  example,  in  the  ceremonies  that  take  place  on  the  eve 
an  emperor*s  coronation,  he  announces  the  events  of  the  approschii 
day  to  the  supreme  ruler,  heaven,  earth,  and  the  spirits  of  his  d 
parted  ancestors;  and  on  occasion  of  the  performance  of  rite 
attached  to  what  may  be  called  the  national  religion  of  China,  U 
emperor,  who  is  the  high-priest,  sacrifices  to  heaven,  and  earth, : 
Shang-te,  to  his  ancestors,  and  to  gods  of  all  descriptions,  celesti 
and  terrestrial.  Moreover,  so  far  from  any  exclusive  pre-eminen 
being  appropriated  to  the  term  Shang-te,  it  also  designates  loc 
deities,  agreeably  to  Dr.  Morrison's  remark — **  The  epithet,  thong 
seeming  to  express  the  christian  idea  of  God,  is,  however,  applied  I 
more  than  one  divine  personage."  Heuen-teen  Shang-te,  ''the  sombg 
heaven's  supreme  ruler,"  denotes  a  god  of  the  northern  hemisphen 
another  topical  deity  is  known  by  the  appellation  of  ''  the  diamoa 
imperial  supreme  ruler;"  while  Tae-shang,  ''the  great  sujHcme^ 
designates  both  the  emperor's  deceased  fiither  and  the  founder  o 
the  sect  Taou.  Though  the  Roman  Catholics  in  China  at  first  idople 
Shang-te  to  denote  God,  they  after  awhile  rejected  it  as  unrail 
able,  and  instead  of  it  selected  Teen,  which  was  at  length  also  aba 
doned,  probably  because  further  acquaintance  with  the  langntf 
discovered  the  reciprocal  signification  subsisting  between  the  tm 
terms.  After  a  long  and  violent  controversy  on  this  subject  betvea 
the  Dominicans  and  Jesuits,  Teen-choo,  "  Heaven's  Lord  "  w 
chosen  as  the  most  appropriate  term,  which,  with  the  addition  d 
the  word  Keaou,  "  sect," — TSen-choo  keaou — ^now  designates  tk 
Catholic  religion  in  China,  agreeably  to  the  mandate  of  PopeCk- 
ment  XI.  The  fear  of  identifying  what  they  consider  the  doctrina 
of  the  Bible  with  the  system  of  popery,  would  be  sufficient  to  deta 
Protestants  from  using  the  same  epithet.  Moreover,  since  dM 
heathen  have  no  correct  ideas  of  omnipresence  and  infinity*  but  cot 
sider  their  most  venerated  deities  as  circumscribed  by  maim 
boundaries,  and  attached  to  special  localities  in  different  regions  o 
the  universe,  such  a  term  would  wholly  restrict  the  preiogativei  o 
God  to  the  proprietorship  of  heaven  as  a  local  habitation* 

With  regard  to  the  word  ^  Teen,  '*  heaven,"  it  would  be  an  in 
convenient  designation  of  God  in  the  Scriptures,  because  it  is  used  ii 


DR.    MORRISON  S    LITKRARV    LABOURS. 


35 


finite 


plural  number,  to  denote  the  abodes  of  several  orders  of  created 
iatences ;  as  in  the  passages  where  Christ  is  said  to  have  ascended 
Dp  far  above  all  heavens ;  where  the  ApoEtle  Paul  is  said  to  have 
been  caught  up  to  the  third  heaven,  and  where  Solomon,  addressing 
Jehovah,  says,  "the  heaven  of  heavens  cannot  contain  thee." 
There  is,  indeed,  no  more  objection  in  Chinese  to  the  occasional 
use  ofbeaven,  borrowed  by  metonymy  from  his  residence,  to  denote 
the  person  of  Jehovah,  than  there  is  lo  a  similar  application  of  it 
by  the  prophet  in  the  phrase — "  the  heavens  do  rule  ;"  but  this  is 
different  from  adopting  it  ai  a  imiversal  designation.  There 
Br  to  be  three  distinct  meanuigs  attached  to  the  word  in  native 
Ts ; — "  that  of  material  heavens'' — "  supreme  presiding  power," 
and  "the  supposed  residence  of  departed  spirits."  Confucius 
represents  heaven  as  sn  object  of  supreme  veneration,  which 
bestows  blessings  and  inflicts  judgments,  guides  the  steps  of  men, 
and  frustrates  or  promotes  human  counsels,  agreeably  to  its  sove- 
reign will.  But  later  philosophical  definitions  invest  it  with  no 
other  property  than  that  of  uncreated  materialism,  difiiised  through- 
out the  universe,  as  an  indivisible  principle,  destitute  of  the  intelli- 
gence|neccssarytoacontrolling  agency, and  similar  to  ^^  Le,  already 
explained.  A  disciple  of  Confucius  says,  "  it  is  improper  to  accuse 
nature  of  wanting  intelligence,  and  equally  incorrect  to  identity  its 
mental  operations  with  those  of  man ;"  while  the  sage  himself 
acknowledges,  that  he  has  long  prayed  to  heaven,  and  describes  an 
offence  against  that  power  as  taking  away  the  resource  of  prayer 
from  the  offender.  Heaven,  when  used  metaphysically,  conveys 
a  very  different  idea  from  that  of  the  firmament,  with  which,  how- 
ever, it  is  of^en  confounded.  The  difhcutty  of  attaching  precise 
notions  to  such  terms  in  native  authors,  arises  from  their  fVequent 
use  in  a  special  sense  when  the  context  would  indicate  the  ordinary 
signification.  The  extension  of  heaven  as  a  canopy  over  the  earth, 
onjunction  with  which  it  is  worshipped,  is  the  probable  reason 
its  alleged  ubiquitous  influence,  its  supreme  honour  and  un- 
|ualled  dominion ;  and  hence  the  word  is  appropriated  to  the  same 
inary  power  as  Shang-te.  But  writers  not  only  contradict  each 
but  themselves.  Sometimes  heaven  is  represented  as  pos- 
led  of  absolute  power  to  control  human  destinies;  at  others 
devoid  of  all  authority,  except  what  is  conceded  by  man :  the 
latter  opinion  is  illustrated  in  the  popular  axiom,  "Heaven  hears 
and  sees  as  the  people  hear  and  see;"  on  which  a  native  com- 
mentator remarks,  "  this  is  necessarily  the  case,  since  heaven  is 
without  figure;"  the  former  in  the  following  couplet,  inscribed  by 
Keen-lung,  a  celebrated  emperor  ef  the  present  dyussty,  on  a  stone 
c  2 


36  CRITICAL    NOTICES      OF 


tablet  which  he  raised  at  Ele,  to  commemorate  his  victofy 
i  Tartar  tribe. 

"  Teen  che  uo  pei  chaj,  jin  mj  king  ehe,  piUi  ko  keth  yay. 
Teen  che  lo  f&h  chaj»  jin  nj  tiae  che,  p&b  ko  ehin  yaj.'* 

**  The  tree  which  heaven  planta,  though  man  throw  it  down.  cuiBOt 
uprooted. 
The  tree  which  heaven  caita  down,  though  man  replant  it,  win  i 

grow." 

The  term  ^1^  Teen  would  seem,  therefore,  to  be  far  too 

plex  in  its  import  to  express,  without  confuaion,  the  aimple  i 
God;  especially  since  it  denotes  the  material  heavens,  whi 
conformity  to  the  Ptolemaic  system,  are  divided  into  ten  dil 
strata^  of  which  the  third  stratum  is  the  dwelling-place  ( 
goddess  of  love;  the  ninth  is  the  primum  mobile^  which  earn 
other  eight  strata  along  with  it;  the  tenth  is  the  dwelling-pl 
the  great  Ruler,  and  all  the  gods  and  saints  who  are  tranqn 
unmoved.  Choo-foo-tsze  calls  it  *'  the  hard-shell  heaven,"  ' 
comprehends  the  inferior  heavens  and  controls  the  universe, 
heaven  is  sometimes  represented  as  intelhgent,  impartial,  jusi 
merciful ;  to  which,  however,  divine  attributes  and  personal  p 
tions  are  not  ascribed. 

Shin  Choo,  '*  Divine  Lord,"  could  it  be  divested  of  its  i 
trous  associations,  would  constitute  no  unseemly  designati< 
Jehovah  ;  but  many  terms,  in  their  literal  import  unobjectioi 
require  their  conventional  sense  to  be  ascertained  before 
are  appropriated  to  religious  uses.  This  one  denotes  th 
cestral  tablet,  which  is  conveyed  with  all  the  pomp  and 
cumstance  of  imposing  funereal  rites  to  the  sepulchre  of  th 
ceased,  and  afterwards  deposited  in  the  temple  of  ancest^M 
brought  back  to  the  dwelling  of  the  surviving  family,  to  be  c 
crated  as  their  guardian  divinity.  It  is  a  spell  of  such  pote 
fluence  over  the  Chinese  mind,  that  the  application  of  its  nai 
scriptural  purposes,  involves  the  danger  of  fostering  idols 
associations.  But  to  reject  all  heathen  words  and  phrases,  i 
require  either  the  introduction  of  foreign  names  or  new  combini 
of  existing  symbols,  both  which  methods  would  be  attended 
great  difficulty  in  Chinese.  In  the  passages  of  Scripture  i 
Jehovah  and  *'  Lord  God  "  occur ,j  Dr.  Morrison  has  used  in 
instances  Choo-shin,  but  generally  Shin-choo,  which  may  be  u 
stood  as  **  God  the  Lord"  or  "  Divine  Lord ;"  this  being 
agreeable  to  native  idiom  than  the  transposition  of  the  words  U 
the  order  of  the  original.    Shin-t^n,  '^  divine  heaven/' 


DR.    MORRISON  3    LITBRAKV    LABOURS. 


37 


a  Chinese  tenn,  has  been  fruqtiently  used  by  the  MUsionarici, 
■  their  tracts  and  conversalions,  to  denote  G«d ;  but  owing  to  the 
i  polyiheistic  notions  of"  the  Cliiuese,  it  would  only  suggest 
eir  minds  an  additional  topical  deity,  except  as  the  use  of  it 
Iras  accompanied  with  scriptural  explanations,  equally  applicable 
p  Shin  alone. 

I  ^  Choo,  "  Lord,"  la  a  Mahomctaa  term  for  God,  which  the 
LDslator  of  the  Scriptures  would  not  use  in  that  sense ;  but  it 
•neverthelesa  correctly  represents  Kupiof,  in  the  New  Testament, 
and  is  thus  employed  by  Dr.  Morrison.  But  since  so  many  words 
are  considered  as  inappropriate  designations  of  God,  what  other 
less  objectionable  term  does  the  Chinese  tongue  supply  ?  Thi* 
question  is  of  wital  importance,  because  of  its  connection  witli  the 
best  mode  of  exhibiting  Divine  truth  to  Pagans,  and  will  therefore 
require  a  full  and  deliberate  answer.  The  most  degraded  of  the 
human  faintly  have  some  noiioa  of  superior  beings  that  preside 
over  enrthly  destinies,  who,  though  imaginary,  not  only  rank  higher 
than  man,  but  are  deemed  worthy  of  his  most  profound  homage. 
By  means  of  terms  descriptive  of  such  existences,  the  disciples  of 
revelation  must  necessarily  seek  to  communicate,  in  a  tongue  yet 
unhallowed  by  Divine  truth,  correct  conceptions  of  the  character 
and  perfections  of  Jehovah ;  and  where  several  occur  of  distinct 
application  and  import,  thai  by  some  translators  has  been  regarded 
aa  the  best,  wliich  seems  to  inspire  the  heathen  with  the  deepest 
veneration.  Were  this  the  case  with  respect  to  Shang-te,  still  the 
principle  involved  in  such  an  opinion  could  not  I  think  be  sus- 
tained by  sound  argument.  On  this  point  two  inquinea  are  sug- 
gested for  consideration  :  first,  what  idea  is  most  prevalent  in  the 
human  mind  with  regard  to  a  divinity  ?  And  secondly,  what  senti- 
ment  is  involved  in  the  Greek  and  Hebrew  terms  used  in  Sacred 
Scripture  to  denote  God  ?  With  regard  to  the  former  of  these  in- 
quiries, is  not  the  prevailing  sentiment  of  man  in  respect  of  God, 
that  Supreme  Object  which  should  be  constantly  worshipped  under  I 
the  influence  of  hope  and  fear,  as  the  source  of  prosperity  and  tha 
cause  of  afflictiOTis,  whose  will,  though  absolute,  is  nevertheless 
guided  by  human  conduct ;  agreeably  to  the  tenor  of  the  following 
passage  in  a  Chinese  work  on  the  rewards  and  punishments  of  a 
future  state: — "  Happiness  and  misery  have  no  door — no  means  of 
ingress — but  the  conduct  of  man,  whose  virtues  or  vices,  as  cer< 
tainly  as  the  shadow  follows  its  original,  induce  a  corresponding 
■  tecompenae  of  happiness  or  misery."  Such  opmions  denote  r 
■.Supreme  power  or  principle — an  unknown  something — towards 
rtiich  reverence  and  gratitude,  suggested  by  conscious  obligations 


II 


38  CRITICAL    NOTICES   OF 

ought  to  be  expressed  in  dailj  acts  of  devoti<Hi ;  aii  invisible 
with  whom  ceaseless  intercourse  should  be  held,  to  whom  ap] 
can  be  made  in  trouble,  and  thanksgivings  offered  in  seasons  o 
turning  comfort;  a  Final  Arbiter  of  human  destinies,  who 
moves  souls  into  the  unseen  state  according  to  his  will,  and  a 
nisters  righteous  retribution  for  human  conduct.  In  the  lang 
then  of  a  people  possessed  of  such  ideas,  ought  the  conunon  ^ 
for  God  to  be  a  special  appellative — as  Supreme  Bnler,  Loi 
Heaven,  Divine  Lord-— or  a  generic  one,  equivalent  to  Go 
English,  whose  current  sense  denotes  the  first  object  of  hm 
affections  and  desires.  Now  the  general  designaticm  in  the  Chi 
language  of  all  those  invisible  objects,  which  have  long  been  n 
nised  in  China  as  worthy  of  divine  homage,  is  Shin — the  y 
used  by  Dr.  Morrison  ; — the  propriety  of  whose  application  U 
Infinite  Jehovah  is  not  to  be  disputed  on  the  ground  of  pol jthi 
to  which  the  Chinese  are  so  grossly  addicted,  and  in  whose  n 
there  exist  no  correct  conceptions  of  one  Grod,  as  the  Creator 
Moral  Governor  of  the  Universe ;  since  Shin  not  only  desigi 
topical  deities,  to  which  we  also  apply  the  name  god,  but 
object  which  is  supreme  in  our  affections,  to  express  which  the  i 
degraded  nations  probably  have  a  corresponding  term,  and  wl 
having  elevated  it  to  its  individual  office  in  the  economj  of  the 
verse,  they  adore  as  a  Divine  personage.  For  notwithstanding 
grossest  ignorance  and  superstition,  there  is  that  within  eveiv 
which  recognises  a  connection  between  himself  and  some  }a^ 
power;  and,  whether  it  be  a  sentiment,  consciousness,  feeling 
habit,  it  is  wrought  into  the  very  texture  of  his  mental  constitui 
though  necessarily  modified  in  its  operations  by  the  degree  of  m 
and  intellectual  darknesswhich  surrounds  him.  But  none  of  the  U 
adverted  to,  except  Shin,  would  properly  express  the  archety; 
this  idea.  The  Scriptures  inform  man  of  an  Almighty  Being  e 
where  present  to  exercise  his  high  prerogative  as  the  Ruler  of 
Universe ; — a  doctrine  in  direct  opposition  to  the  debasing  no 
of  deities  suited  to  different  localities,  whose  powers,  as  it  is  suppo 
are  to  be  employed  in  extracting  some  portion  of  happiness  fiom 
appalling  mass  of  wretchedness  under  which  all  Pagan  nations  gn: 
therefore,  instead  of  a  term  applicable  only  to  the  god  of  one 
partment  in  the  government  of  the  world,  even  though  it  were 
highest,  ought  not  a  word  to  be  chosen  of  generic  import  to  wl 
epithets  can  be  idiomatically  attached  descriptive  of  the  Dh 
character  and  perfections,  which  infinitely  surpass  any  excelloM 
ascribed  by  Pagans  to  the  numerous  creations  of  their  own  fas 
even  when  endued  with  imaginary  prerogatives  adequate  to  the  em 


DB.    MORRISON  S    LITERARY    LABOURS. 


39 


\ 


genciea  of  their  origin  ?  The  term  required,  is  not  the  designation  of 
an  authoritative  power  to  be  approached  but  seldom,  a  sort  ofint^on. 
ceivable  something,  honoured  with  sacrifices  at  distant  intervals  oti 
great  festive  occasions,  which  the  Eniperor  alone  is  permitted  to 
offer,  but  oue  descriptive  of  the  familiar  practical  Deity,  wilh  whom 
constant  intercourse  is  held  to  be  essential  to  the  enjoyment  and  pro- 
tection of  the  worshipper:  not  such  terms  as  Supreme  Ruler,  Heaven 
and  Earth,  Heaven's  Lord,  Lord  of  Spirits,  or  Great  Supreme,  he* 
cause,  by  recognising  a  superior  god,  it  sanctions  subordinate 
divinities  also ;  but  one  which,  applied  to  Jehovah  alone,  will 
thereby  preclude  every  other  deity  as  the  creature  of  an  idolatrous 
imagination,  from  the  worship  of  vrhich  common  sense  recoils 
wilh  instinctive  abhorrence.  The  principle  of  unity  in  the  God- 
head, opposed  to  the  prevailing  polytheistic  notion,  would  be  most 
effectually  promoted  by  restoring  this  simple  word  to  its  original 
and  exclusively  appropriate  use  j  but  the  doctrine  is  never  fully  ac- 
knowledged in  the  absence  of  divine  revelation,  even  where  the  mind 
has  become  so  for  disciplined  in  natural  theology  aa  to  admit  a  first 
cause,  notwithstanding  that  the  Eternal  Power  and  Godhead  can  he 
understood  by  the  things  that  are  made.  Man,  indeed,  confesses 
deities  to  be  invisible  and  destitute  of  corporeal  figures,  hut  practi* 
cally  accords  to  them  no  higher  power  than  that  of  instinct,  bj 
h  certain  properties  are  suited  to  peculiar  localities  and  opera- 
itions ;  hence  the  instinctive  feeling  seems  to  have  originated  that 
violent  passion  for  gods  and  goddesses  of  every  description  and 
occupation,  which  has  disfigured  his  intellectual  and  moral  history ; 
nrhile  it  is  tlte  prerogative  of  reason,  even  in  the  darkest  moral 
atmosphere,  to  emit  some  rays  of  light  on  the  tjuestion  of  an 
Almighty  and  eternal  existence,  whose  character  and  perfections  the 
Scriptiures  alone  accurately  delineate.  Now  the  word  which  ex- 
presses both  the  instinctive  and  the  rational  idea,  will  be  allowed,  I 
think,  to  be  the  best  general  term  for  God;  and  this  word  which 
Dr.  Morrison  has  adopted  in  bis  version,  is  jj^  Shin. 

But  it  will  aid  our  conceptions  on  this  subject,  to  consider 
pifsecondly)  what  sentiment  is  involved  in  the  Greek  and  Hebrew 
jlerms  used  in  Sacred  Scripture  to  denote  Ood.  It  is  a  remarkable 
•nd  well-known  fact,  that  Elohim,  though  applied  to  objects  of 
idolatry,  is  nevertheless  employed  in  its  plural  form  to  designate 
Jehovah ;  and,  therefore,  the  objection  that  a  terra  in  Pagan  Ian. 
guages,  already  appropriated  to  idols,  would  be  derogatory  to  the 
bonour  of  God,  seems  by  this  usage  to  he  fairly  obviated,  since  & 
lethod  corresponding  to  the  practice  of  the  original  writers  of 


I 


40  CRITICAL    NOTICES   OF 


Sacred  Scripture  maj  doubtless  be  adopted  without  censure  I 
translators.  First  conceptions  would  probably  suggest  scmie 
nificent  and  extraordinary  epitbet,  agreeably  to  the  rule  obsi 
towards  persons  of  elevated  rank,  as  more  worthy  of  God ;  b 
closer  examination,  tbe  general  term  for  deity  will  commend 
as  more  in  accordance  with  tbe  simplicity  of  Divine  ReveL 
Indeed,  on  tbe  former  principle  tbe  guilt  of  idolatry^  which 
sists  in  instituting  and  worshipping  false  deities,  would  be  oj 
apparent  magnitude.  Ortginally^  ideas  on  the  character  o 
Divine  Being  and  the  worship  due  to  him,  were  derived  from  1 
lation,  and  transferred  to  powerless  inanimate  productions  of 
or  at  best,  to  the  creatures  of  God ;  nom^  the  converse  oi 
practice — ^that  of  describing  God  in  terms  devoted  to  Pagani 
constitutes  our  difficulty;  yet  I  apprehend  we  are  no  more  ol 

to  repudiate  the  word  «A  Shin,  as  inapplicable  to   Jehovah, 

^.  the  sacred  writers  were  to  abandon  Elohim,  because  wicked 

I  applied  it  to  idols.     Several  passages  of  Scripture,  confon 

with  the  usage  of  the  original,  require  that  the  true  Grod  shou 
translated  by  the  same  term  as  false  gods ;  for  example,  *' 
sorrows  shall  be  multiplied  that  hasten  after  another  £^od," — ^ 
is  a  God  like  imto  thee  ?**  There  is  one  God,  and  none  othe 
he.  "  Who  is  so  great  a  god  as  oiu:  God,*' — ^which  could  r 
appropriately  rendered  into  Chinese  by  any  other  word  than 
I  The  absurdity  of  admitting  J^  *?©  Shang-te  "  Supreme  Ri 

^   Teen,  **  Heaven,"  and  similar  terms,  will  also    appear 

the  phrases  "  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  ;  God  and  F 

I  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,'*  &c. ;  for  since  no  translator  won 

'  guilty  of  the  folly  of  saying  "  The  Supreme  Ruler  of  Abraham, 

**  Heaven  and  Father  of  Christ,"  he  would  be  reduced  tt 
necessity  of  adopting  Shin,  and  consequently  of  representing 
same  word  in  the  original  by  different  and  contrary  terms  j 
translation.  The  apostles,  without  injury  to  their  cause  ai 
Geoc  to  Jehovah,  notwithstanding  its  desecration  to  idolatrous 
and  may  we  not  fearlessly  follow  their  example  ?  No  misconcei 
can  arise  concerning  the  nature  of  God  to  a  careful  student  < 
word,  which  aboimds  with  descriptions  of  the  prerogatives  ch 
ter,  and  perfections  of  Him  whom  they  reveal ;  while,  by  va 
modes  and  allusions,  it  appeals  to  a  conviction  ever  prevalent  i 
human  bosom,  that  supreme  homage  is  due  to  some  presiding  t 
but  is  based  on  the  fact  that  information  must  be  communis 
from  without,  on  his  existence,  properties,  and  works,  the  mo< 
rendering  acceptable  worship,  and  of  obtaining  the  promised  I 


f 


DR.    MORRISON  3    LITERARY    LABOUHS. 


41 


f 


ings  of  a  future  atate.  Oiir  design  being  to  convince  Pagans  that  it 
behoves  ihem  to  recognize  and  adore  one  God,  in  the  glory  of  bis 
attribiitea  nnd  works  as  these  are  described  in  writings  iniipired  by 
the  Holy  Ghost,  so  by  apjirop Hating  the  exisUng  generic  term  to 
God,  credit  is  given  to  them  for  acknowledging  some  object  of  wor- 
ship,whereby  considerabledifficultiesore  removed;  and  it  only  re- 
mains to  assure  them  that  while  none  of  their  deities  is  God,  there  is 
one  Almighty  and  EtemalBeing,  who  has  provided  for  their  deepest 
moral  and  spiritual  necessities.  Hence  the  use  of  Shin  is  a  simpler 
and  more  satisfactory  mode  of  declaring  the  Divine  Being  than  the 
adoption  of  names,  known  only  for  the  myalic,  metaphysical  refine- 
ts  which  they  suggest,  without  reference  to  the  common  impres- 
on  the  human  spirit  respecting  an  overruling  deity  ; — for  then 
(he  controversy  would  be,  whether  Jehovah  be  or  be  not  God,  to 
the  exclusion  of  all  other  deities,  which  indeed  has  been  the  grand 
point  of  contention  in  all  ages,  between  the  disciples  of  revelation 
and  Pagan  idolators. 

Prom  a  careful  review  of  the  whole  question,  I  think  it  must  be 
admitted,  that  Dr.  Morrison  has  exercised  a  sound  discretion  in 
choosing  Shin ;  for  though  not  perfectly  unobjectionable,  it  is 
decidedly  the  best  general  term  for  God  which  the  language  affords. 
The  Doctor  himself  said,  allcr  he  had  been  a  student  of  Chinese 
eighteen  years,  in  reference  to  the  controversies  on  this  subject— 
"  Our  opinion  is,  there  is  a  portion  of  truth  on  both  sides  of  the 
question ;  and  the  best  way  would  have  been  to  let  the  words  go  on 
to  be  employed,  till  they  acquired  a  definite  meaning  according  to 
Christian  acceptation,  from  usage ;  as  the  Greek  Bto^,  the  Latin 
Dcus.  and  perhaps  the  Saxon  Woden,  became  christian  terms. "• 

With  respect  to  the  word  Jehovah,  the  marked  distinction  be. 
tween  it  and  Elohim  in  the  original,  seems  to  require  some  corre. 
sponding  difference  in  a  translation.  The  Hebrew  ■"ti.t,  which 
Dr.  Morrison  has  generally  rendered  by  ]p^  "^  Shin-choo,  might 
be  transferred  into  Chinese  without  violating  euphony.f  were  it 
not  in  danger  of  being  regarded  as  a  mere  appellation,  which  would 
involve  a  want  of  dignity  totally  inconsistent  with  the  veneration 
due  to  such  a  name.  The  translation  of  the  word,  which  would  be 
the  fittest  meani  of  promoting  the  design  of  its  original  adoption, 
could  be  effected  without  difficulty;  for  the  Chinese  natne  tlieir 
deities  by  significant  expressions,  not  merely  as  a  religious  act,  but 


*  CbincM  MiiEclUtiji  page  IS. 

I  The  Doctor  hu  introdoeed  the  orlginil  word  into  Ihe  trit,  wberi 

;Bit  in  Gcoeiu.  uid  tiinitaled  It  in  the  margin. 


I 


^^ 


'  t 


42  CRITICAL    N0TICX8    OF 

to  mark  the  genim  of  the  language ;  the  sound   of  which,  oi 
its  symbolic  nature,  cannot  be  easily  accommodated  to  an  alp] 
tongue.     It  is  true,  that  the  writings  of  the  Buddhists  in 
contain  Indian  names  of  deities  spelled  by  Chinese  chaiactc 
0-me-to  Fiih,  Amida  Buddah,  and  many  others  ;  but  this  ve 
cumstance  tends  to  fix  the  impression  generally  ^itertained 
writings  of  this  sect — that  they  are  a  mass  of  senseless  jai^gon 
which  it  would  be  most  undesirable  to  identify  the  Sacred 
tures ;  while  such  ideas  as  *'  Self-Existent ;"  *'  The  Living 
might  be  very  forcibly  rendered  in  Chinese^  in  contrast  with 
without  life,  agreeably  to  the  occasion  on  which  the  word  * 
vah"  was  first  introduced. 

The  divine  names  of  the  Saviour,  as  Jesus,  Messiah,  and  ( 
have  been  transferred  to  the  Chinese  language,  in  characters  m 
to  convey  as  nearly  as  possible  the  original  sounds;  whi 
['  epithets — "Son  of  man — Saviour — Redeemer — Mediator, 

j  others,  have  been  translated  by  corresponding  terms.    The  t 

tion  of  Xoyoc,  as  applied  to  Christ,  is  attended  with  some  dif 
in  Chinese.  It  occurs  in  the  first  chapter  of  John,  *•  In  t 
ginning  was  the  word,"  which  Dr.  Morrison  has  rendered  I 
Yen,  meaning  "  word,  speech,  conversation,"  without  any  do< 
[  peculiarity  attached  to  it.     There  is,  however,  the  83rmbol 

which  in  many  particulars  corresponds  to  the  Xoyoc  of  the  i 

I  tures.  It  signifies  "  word,  doctrine,  reason,  virtue,  way,  means,' 

other  meanings,  varying  according  to  the  tenets  of  the  sect  by  i 
it  is  adopted.  In  the  language  of  Buddhism  it  points  out  a 
cular  state  of  existence  relating  to  the  metempsychosis  wh 
among  human  beings  or  brutes.  It  also  constitutes  the  desigi 
,  of  the  philosophical  sect — Taou  keaou— whose'  founder    1 

keun-tsze,  contemporary  with  Confucius  (b.  c.  500),  is  consider 
the  restorer  of  reason,  who  was  incarnate  in  seven  difierent  pe 
prior  to  his  residence  on'earth,  and  subsequently  as  late  as  the 
century.  The  Taou  of  this  sect,  in  several  points,  approximate 
Xoyoc  of  the  Greeks,  as  explained  by  the  school  of  Plato.  I 
only,  in  order  of  existence,  precedes  the  heavens  and  the  earth 
is  the  creating  source  of  matter,  in  which  it  inheres ;  it  also  »n\x\ 
living  beings.  Confucius  and  his  disciples,  who  constitute  the 
of  the  learned,  describe  Taou  as  eternal,  unchangeable,  ores 
omnipresent,  so  vast  that  it  fills  the  universe,  so  minute  that 
contained  in  all  things ;  as  originating  changes  in  nature  an 
superior  to  heaven  and  earth,  which,  though  creative  po^ 
are  liable  to  err  and  violate  its  authority.  In  the  mundane 
tem  of  the  Chinese,  Taou   is  elevated  into  a  divinity,  wh< 


DR.    MORRISONS    LITERARY    LABOURS. 


43 


issued  heaven,  earth,  man,  and  all  natural  objects;  without,  how- 
ever, being  invested  with  personal  properties.  The  same  word  sig- 
niftes  a  way  or  path,  both  literally  and  figuratively,  which,  with  the 
sense  of  method  of  access,  united  to  its  alleged  prerogative  to 
be  the  source  of  all  things,  animate  and  inanimate — the  seat  of 
vitality — the  living  enei^  itself — together  with  the  signification  of 
word  or  medium  of  commimication— espresaes  a  remarkable  coinci- 
dence of  properties,  appropriated  by  the  Saviour  to  himself,  or 
ascribed  to  him  by  his  inspired  servants — ''  1  am  the  way,  the  truth, 
and  the  hfe."  This  word  is  used  by  the  same  school  for  doctrine — 
a  system  of  metaphysical  principles  and  moral  precepts — and  in  con- 
nection with  Le,  which  signifies  reason  initBrecondite,abstract  state, 
denotes  principles  embodied  in  actions  and  conduct,  resulting  from 
a  deliberate  operation  of  the  understanding ;  and  hence  its  appro- 
priatcness  to  express  the  christian  sense  of  the  term  doctrine  or  truth, 
A  question  may,  therefore,  be  fairly  raised  on  the  comparative 
propriety  of  g"  Yen.  and  j^Taou,as  atransUtion  of  Xo^twhen 
applied  to  the  person  of  Christ ;  although  I  think  it  will  be  con- 
ceded by  all  who  understand  the  various  meanings  of  Taou  that 
Dr.  Morrison,  in  choosing  g  Yen,  hu  adopted  the  term  least 
liable  to  misinterpretation.  In  a  letter  on  this  subject  in  the  Indo- 
Chinese  Gleaner,'  the  Doctor,  after  citing  Dr.  A.  Clarke's  opinion, 
that  Xoyoc  should  be  considered  a  proper  name  and  left  imtrans- 
lated,  remarks — "  Untranslated  terms  are  uncouth  in  any  language, 
and  are  exceedingly  abhorrent  to  the  genius  of  the  Chinese  language. 
And,  on  the  other  hand,  there  is  a  difficulty  in  employing  long 
received  techicol  terms,  because  the  use  of  them  revives,  by  asso- 
ciation, all  the  systematic  Pagan  errors  hitherto  connected  with 
them."  Yen  would  seem  to  answer  to  pij/ia  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, and  Taou  to  Xoync ;  but  any  one  actjuainted  with  Chinsse 
modes  of  thinking  will  readily  conceive  how  remote  from  its  sig- 
nification would  be  the  impression  of  that  passage  on  the  mind 
of  a  Chinaman,  if  Xoync  were  translated  by  Taou : — "  In  the  be- 
ginning was  Taou,  and  Taou  was  with  God,  and  Taou  was  God ;"' 
still  it  is  a  question  of  some  moment  in  deciding  on  the  proper  term, 
whether  the  \oyoc  of  the  Apostles  was  not  liable  to  equal  miscon- 
ceptions among  Pagan  Greeks,  In  a  Chmese  version  of  the  Gos- 
pels made  at  Peking,  the  translator  has  borrowed  the  Latin  word 
vcrbum  from  the  Vulgate,  which  he  represents  by  the  Chinese 
flouuds  Wo-urh-pung,  whereby  no  meaning  is  conveyed. 


•  No.  VIII.  p.  B3,  April,  1819. 


44  CRITICAL    NOTICES   OF 

The  Chinese  tenn  adopted  by  the  translator  of  ffae  Scriptures 
Holy  Spirit,  is  ^  J^  Shing-ftmg,  "  holy  or  sacred  wind 
breath."  The  various  significations  of  Fung,  are  **  the  .breatl 
nature;  the  wind;  air  in  motion;  custom;  usage;  spirit;  tem| 
feeling;  to  scatter  or  disperse,  as  by  the  wind ;  to  diffuse  or  aflfec 
example,"  &c.  several  of  which  are  the  same  as  mn,  and  iryeii 

both  derived  from  verbs  that  signify  "  to  breathe,  to  flow,"  andhai 
correspondent  meanings  in  their  abstract  state.     Some  Chii 

scholars  have  thought  jpl^  Shin  (which  also  means  spirit)y*a  be 

word  than  Jg| ,  Fung ;  but  if  our  preceding  remarks  have  jnsti 

Shin  as  a  designation  of  the  Grodhead,  its  impropriety  as  a  unive 
term  to  denote  the  Holy  Spirit  wiU  immediately  appear  ;  while  F 
commends  itself,  a  priori^  from  its  coincidence  to  the  original  « 
in  the  Old  and  New  Testament.  The  phrase  *  Spirit  of  God, 
expressed  in  Chinese  by  jjj^  y^  ^  Shin  che  fung — ^liten 
"  God's  Spirit ;"  but  in  Ephesians,  God's  Holy  Spirit,  is  rendi 

Jf^  i2  ^  f*P  Shin  che  shing  Shin,  where  the  word  for  Crod 
Spirit  is  the  same ;  and  in  a  few  other  places,  though  the  orifi 
terms  are  the  same  the  Dr.  has  used  jSft  for  gj^  Fung.     In  Isa 
^  Lmg,  usually  applied  to  the  human  soul,  occurs  twice 
!  translation  of  n^n,  instead  of  ^  Fung;  Shing-fung,  howeve 

the  prevailing  designation  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  Dt.  M.'s  ti 
lation. 

With  regard  to  ** heaven"  and  **  hell,*'  as  Scriptural  terms,  1 
already  adverted  to  in  another  sense,  is  used  for  the  residenc 
separate  spirits  who  are  accounted  worthy  of  paradise ;  and  -tff 
Te-y5,  "  the  prison  of  the  earth,"  for  "  heU."  Y6  exhibits  a  th 
fold  symbol,  composed  of  g"  Yen,  "  a  word,"  and  Keuen, 
dog,"  placed  on  either  side  of  it ;  but  what  may  be  the  origin  of 
combination,  whether  or  not  it  bears  any  allusion  to  the  guardia 
Pluto's  dominions  cannot  perhaps  be  determined ;  nor  is  it 
portant  here.  The  word  Te,  "earth,"  is  joined  to  yd,  "pris< 
from  an  impression,  common  among  the  Chinese,  that  the  habitai 
of  the  wicked  in  hades  is  located  in  subterraneous  regions  •  hei 
in  the  writings  of  those  sects  which  believe  the  doctrine,  the  phi 
denotes  the  scene  of  future  punishment,  from  whence  the  propaga 
of  Chri8tianity,both  Cathohc  and  Protestant,  have  adopted  it  to  re] 
sent  hell.  But,  without  ascribing  more  difficulty  to  the  Chinese  t 
to  other  Pagan  tongues,  such  terms  cannot  be  expected  accurate!^ 


DR.    MORRISON'S    LITERARY    LABOURS. 


45 


I 


ibserve  ihe  jiurpoaes  of  tbcir  selection,  until  the  native  mind  be- 
faiQiliar  with  the  spirit  and  language  of  sacred  Scripture* 
Names  far  abstract  doctrines  and  Christian  ordinouces  require  still 
more  care ;  since  the  objects  and  troths  they  exhibit  differ  Mo 
eeelo  from  the  systems  and  symbolic  rites  of  Paganism.  It  is  rarely, 
if  ever,  that  single  words  are  found  adequate ;  and,  therefore,  the 
(ist  be  approached  by  circumlocution,  to  which  happily  the 
of  the  Chinese  language,  from  its'love  of  thought  and  of  the 
lodeof  communication  in  preference  to  sound, is  not  unfavour- 
ible.  The  doctrine  of  justification  is  thus  conveyed  in  (be  following 
ige  (Rom.  iv.  5):  "  But  tohim  that  workethnot,  but  believcth 
on  him  that  justifielh  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted  for  righteoua- 
ness:"  the  Chinese  of  which,  bterally  rendered,  is  "Not  doing 
work,  but  believing  (on)  hJm  who  causes  the  wicked  to  obtain 
righteousness,  his  faith  is  counted  for  righteousness."     ^)j  Kung, 

work,"  means  meritorious  work  or  service  ;  ^6  E,  "righteom- 
ifless''  has  a  variety  of  significations,  including  what  is  "  good,  right, 
proper,  benevolent,  faithful,  disinterested,  cbarilable,  just,  in  con- 
tradistinction from  services  performed  for  the  sake  of  gain  ;" — 
M  Swan,  too,  in  the  sense  of,  "  to  esteem,  to  reckon,  to  account, 
OT  to  impute,"  is  as  suitable  a  word  as  the  language  supplies.  The 
doctrines  of  Atonement,  Regeneratioii,  and  Sanctiflcation,  being 
peculiar  to  the  word  of  God,  cannot  be  communicated  in  a  Pagan 
tongue,  without  liability  of  misconception ;  still  Chinese  ethics, 
metaphysics,  and  religious  dogmas,  suggest  terras  for  the  guidance 
;Af  the  translator,  some  of  which,  arising  from  the  renovating  influ- 
tnces,  spiritual  combinations,  and  moral  transformations,  to  which 
they  pretend,  are  remarkably  expressive  and  appropriate  ;  as  for  ex- 
imple,  the  metempsychosis  of  Buddhism  supplies  the  phrases  ^L 
^  Tsae  saug  ^  ^  FQh  sang,  "again  bom,"  ^  •j|^  Kau 
hwa,"rei)Ovatinginfluencef,"and  ^t4f  '[r  Sin  sang,  "new  birth:" 
tbe  two  former  are  introduced  in  the  conversation  of  the  Saviour 
with  Nicodemus  (John  iii.  3,  4,  and  5),  which  may  be  literally 
rendered  from  the  Chinese  thus :  "  Jesus  answering,  spake  unto 
him,  saying,  I  verily,  verily,  say  unto  thee  to  know,  man,  if  not  again 
bom,  must  (or  shall)  not  see  God's  kingdom.  Nicodemus  spake 
unto  him,  saying,  Man,  having  become  old,  how  obtain  again  bom 
(tsae  sang)  1  can  he  again  enter  his  mother's  womb  (literally  tha 
same  meaning  as  cotUa)  to  again  obtain  to  be  bom  ¥  Jesus  answered 
and  said,  I  verily,  verily,  say  unto  thee  to  know,  man,  if  not  with 
water,  together  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  agaia  bom  (fuh  sang)  then 


1 

I 


46  CRITICAL  NOTICfi8   OF 

must  (or  shall)  not  be  able  to  enter  Ood*8  kingdom.'*  The  id 
atonement,  vicarious  sacrifice,  or  the  substitution  of  the  inno 
for  the  gvultjf  is  not  unknown  to  the  Chinese,  from  the  circ 
stance  of  their  laws  occasionally  permitting  offenders  to  obtain 
stitutes  to  suffer  for  them,  or  to  commute  corporal  puniahmen 
monej;  and  consequently  the  language  possesses  terms'by  whid 
word  atonement  may  be  clearly  rendered.  In  order  to  ascei 
whether  the  Scripture  phrase  for  that  doctrine  was  undentoc 
once  stated  an  hypothetical  case  to  a  Chinese,  of  a  slave  ha 
incurred  the  displeasure  of  his  master  who  had  resolved  to 
satiB&ction  for  the  offence,  but  whose  son,  from  a  feeling  of  c 
passion  for  the  slave,  had  desired  to  suffer  in  his  stead  ;  and  a 
him  by  what  term  he  would  designate  such  an  act ;  he  immedii 

replied  Seok,  which  is  the  Fiih-ktoi  pronunciation  of  Rfe  S 

used  by  Dr.  Morrison  for  atonement  and  redemption :  this  Chn 
though  a  wealthy  and  respectable  merchant,  was  Uliterate ;  and  tl 
fore  as  he  understood  the  term  1  have  no  doubt  that  all  who  can 
are  well  acquainted  with  it ;  jMp  Shi^  is  very  suitably  introdi 
in  that  passage  of  the  Apostle  Peter,  **  Forasmuch  as  ye  knoi 
were  not  redeemed  with  corruptible  things,  as  silver  and  gold  ^ 
Substitution  is  expressed  by  ^^  Tae,  j&  Wei,  or  ^S-  Te  **i 
^*  instead  of,"  as  in  those  passages,  ''  Christ  died  for  our  i 
scarcely  for  a  righteous  man  will  one  die,'*  the  literal  order  of 
former  being  "  Christ  for  (Wei)  our  sins,  and  died*' — of  the  Is 
"  For  (Wei)  a  righteous  man  who  will  instead  (Tae)  die  scarcely! 
him."  The  idea  of  one  creature  suffering  for  anolher,  cannot  ap 
strange  to  the  Chinese  who  have  been  fiuniliar  with  sacrifices  i 
remote  antiquity,  and  whose  most  solemn  form  of  volmitarily  sea 
a  covenant  clearly  establishes  its  prevalence ;  for  their  mode  of  taJ 
oath,*  after  kneeling  down  and  worshipping,  consists  in  cutting  ofl 
head  of  a  cock  in  temples  before  the  idols,  by  which  act  the  par^ 
the  Chinese  express  it)  |*^  i^  f^  g  E  wtih  tae  ke,  ««  places 
creature  in  the  room  of  himself,*'  and  imprecates  the  punishmen' 
inflicts  if  he  fails  to  fulfil  his  engagement  Shiih  is  also  used  in  1 
passage  (1  Cor.  i.  30),  **  and  of  him  are  ye  in  Christ  Jesus,  wh( 
Grod  is  made  unto  us  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification 
redemption."  B^  Shing,  "  holiness "—"  being  made  holy,** 
**  consecrated  to  a  particular  service,"  is  used  for  **  sanctificatic 

•  Oathi  are  not  admiiiiBtered  .by  the  magifltrate  in  a  court  of  justioe- 
are  very  common  in  private  traniactioni. 


DR.    MORRISON  S    LITERARY    LABOURS. 


47 


■wt 

Btaect 


ir  "  eternity  "  the  Chineae  have  ^  ^  Yung  yuen  "  ever  flowing, 
ftual,  remote,  nlwaya,  for  ever,"  and  "(If   ^  ^  ,t(fr  She  she 

woo  tsin,  "  ages  of  agea  without  end,"  or  "  inexhauatible,''  which  i' 

the  strongest  expression  in  their  language,  and  corresponda  to  the 

use  of  obis,  and  on.'i'  in  the  Scriptures. 

The  word  ^r  Se,  by  which  Dr.  Morrison  has  rendered  BamZ^ 

Hhid  its  cognates,  having  been  denounced  as  an  unfaithful  translation   ] 

of  the  original  by  some  AntipteUobaptists,  particularly  the  Rev. 

Spencer  11.  Cone  of  New  York,  in  hia  speech  before  the  Baptist 

Bible  Society  of  that  city,  and  the  Rev,  J.  H.  Hinton  of  LondoD,    ' 
Letter  to  Lord  Bexley,  it  may  be  proper  to  examine  the  sub- 
it  a  littie  more  fully  than  would  otherwise  have  been  thought 
lesaary.     The  following  extract  of  the  former  gentleman's  apeech 

m  taken  from  the  English  Baptist  Magazine  for  Auguat,  1838.  "  Per- 
now  to  show  you  a  copy  of  the  Chinese  New  Testament, 

lithographed  in  Batavia,  under  the  superintendence  of  the  Rev.  W. 

H.  Medhurat  of  the  London  Missionary  Society.  Upon  the  cover, 
one  of  our  Missionaries  has  thus  written : — "  In  this  version  Boim{*» 
and  its  cognates  are  rendered  by  the  term  Se  Le,  '  washing  cere- 
mony.' The  Romish  Missionaries  to  China  always  used  this  phrase 
when  they  wished  to  speak  or  write  of  baptism  in  the  Chineae  lan- 

iguage.   Dr.  Morrison  and  all  other  Paedobapttsts  have  done  the  same. 

I'Here  is  another  edition  of  the  Chinese  New  Testament  by  Mr.  Gutz- 
laff  and  others,  printed  from  wooden  blocks  at  Singapore,  under  the 
Buperintendence  of  the  Bev,  Mr.  Tracey  of  the  American  Paedo- 
baptist  Board.  In  this  version  also  Se-le  is  put  for  baptism,  so 
that  it  is  said,  the  Saviour  should  perform  the  washing  ceremony 
with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire.  For  a  moment  look  upon  Luke 
iii.  IS:  literally  translated  &om  this  Chinese  New  Testament — 
'John  answered,  I  indeed  perform  the  washing  ceremony  with 
water ;  but  one  mightier  than  I  cometh,  the  lalcbet  of  whose  shoes 
I  am  not  worthy  to  unloose,  he  shall  perform  the  washing  ceremony 
wilh  fire."  Perform  the  washing  ceremony  with  fire!  Caii  we 
forbear  to  exclaim  with  the  Psalmist — '  It  is  time  for  thee.  Lord, 
to  work,  for  they  have  made  void  thy  law.'  To  print  and  circulate 
these  corrupt  versions,  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  has 
appropriated  thousands  of  pounds  sterling,  while  the  American  Bible 
Society  has  fiiraished  its  thousands  of  dollars  ;  and  that,  too,  at  the 
very  time  when  the  faithful  Bengali  and  Burmese  translations  of  our 
brother  Yates,  by  these  Catholic  Societies,  could  not  be  encouraged. 
My  brethren,  have  Baptists  nothing  to  do  in  givmg  the  word  of 
life  in  its  nearest  possible  approach  to  the  mind  of  God,  contained 


48  CRITICAL  NOTICBS  OF 

in  the  original  record,  to  a  nation  constituting  more  than  one-third 
of  the  whole  human  fiunily !  Yes,  here  our  distinct  action  in  the 
Bihle  cause,  like  our  distinct  ministry  of  the  Word,  cannot  fail  to 
promote  the  spiritual  interesU  of  China.  It  is  our  high  vocation  to 
teach  the  millions  of  the  celestial  empire  the  way  of  the  Lord  more 
perfectly ;  and  where  is  the  Baptist  that,  in  such  an  enterprise,  is 
not  willing  this  day  to  consecrate  his  service  to  the  Lord  V* 

In  reading  over  this  document,  a  variety  of  reflections  crowd  upon 
the  mind,  which  it  is  difficult  to  digest  in  consecutive  order.  The 
gravest  accusations  are  brought  against  individual  ministers,  and 
associated  bodies  of  Christians  of  different  denominations,  sustained 
only  by  perverse  criticisms,  or  distorted  renderings  of  the  word  used 
for  baptism.  Since  no  other  Chinese  version  of  the  Old  or  New 
Testament  made  by  a  Psedobaptist,  has  received  the  sanction  of  the 
British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  ;  it  must  be  their  zeal  in  printing 
and  circulating  Dr.  Morrison's  translation,  which  is  stigmatized  as 
a  flagrant  dereliction  of  Catholic  principle.  It,  therefore,  becomes 
our  imperative  duty  to  examine  the  evidence  adduced  in  support  of 
so  serious  a  charge,  which,  if  it  were  made  at  all,  ought  to  have 
been  substantiated  in  the  most  conclusive  manner ;  whereas  it  really 
rests  on  some  unknown  authority,  either  ignorant  of  the  Chinese 
language,  or  guilty  of  inexcusable  misrepresentation.  For  example, 
no  scholar  would  think  of  associating  Le  with  Se,  except  to  denote 
the  abstract  term — '^  baptism  ;*'  and  yet  this  gentleman  asserts  that 
Bairri^di  and  its  cognates — that  is,  the  concrete  as  well  as  the  ab- 
stract, with  every  variety  of  mode,  condition,  and  inflection,  which 
the  word  may  assume — are  always  expressed  by  this  phrase.  But 
what  opinion  will  the  impartial  reader  form  of  the  candour,  intelli- 
gence, or  veracity  of  such  an  accuser,  when  he  learns,  that  in  up- 
wards of  sixty  passages  of  Scripture,  containing  versions  of  BairriC» 
and  its  derivatives  by  Dr.  Morrison,  the  term  Le  occurs  but  once 
(Matt.  iii.  11.),  and  there,  most  probably,  because  it  was  judged 
necessary  in  the  beginning  of  the  New  Testament,  to  connect  the 
act  expressed  by  Se  with  some  word  equivalent  to  "  ordinance," 
for  which  no  other  would  have  been  so  suitable.  Yet  on  this  false 
charge,  supported  by  such  testimony,  a  christian  minister  in 
America,  solemnly  appeals  to  Jehovah  in  a  pubhc  assembly,  to 
arrest  the  "corrupt  version'*  in  its  progress  among  360,000,000 
of  human  beings;  and  the  editor  of  a  religious  periodical  in 
England,*  on  no  higher  authority,  gives  currency  to  a  statement 
which  lauds  as  exclusively  faithful,  versions  executed  by  immer- 

*  See  Baptiit  Magazine  for  Augost,  1838. 


DR,    MORRISON  S    LITERARY    LABOURS.  49 

aionistB,  but  condemua  aa  corrupt  all  those  made  by  penons  who 
presume  to  tbink  apriakling  or  pouring  a  Scriptural  mode  of  bap* 
tisni.  No  fault,  it  will  be  observed,  is  found  with  the  translation  of 
passages  involving  the  fundamental  truths  of  Christianity;  and, 
therefore,  whether  thenccnser  approved  of  the  mode  in  which  thty 

|«re  rendered — felt  incompetent  to  discuss  their  merits — or  regarded 
lueh  sentiments  as  utteily  unimportant,  when  compared  with 
l»ptism — it  must  be  lejt  with  himself  to  determine ;  most  certaiuljr 
ko  impassioned  appeal  to  the  Deity,  on  the  subject  of  immersion 
merely,  suems  but  another  form  of  '  tithing  anise,  and  mmt,  and 
cummin,  while  the  weightier  matters  of  the  law  are  neglected.' 
In  Mr.  Hinton's  letter  to  Lord  Bexley,  on  (he  translation  of 
BoTT.'fu,  the  Committee  of  the  Bible  Society  are  blamed  for  not 
sanctioning  the  Baptist  versions,  while  they  have  aided  Dr.  Mor- 
,       rison's,  in  which  Mr,  H.  says,  BaTrHiw  is  rendered  by  a  tei-m  deno. 

»ting  "  to  wash,"  Without  enlering  into  the  merits  of  the  entire 
case,  I  cannot  but  remark  that  Mr,  Hiolon's  animadversions  on 
Dr.  Morrison's  term  for  baptism  appear  to  be  peculiarly  invidioua; 
than  which  gB|  Tsan,  in  Dr.  Marshmau'a  version,  which  wat 
printed  partly,  perhaps  wholly,  at  the  expense  of  the  Bible  Society, 

» would  have  afforded  much  more  reasonable  ground  of  accusation, 
if  any  existed ;  it  being  not  only  the  fmit  of  sectarian  zeal,  but 
Btterly  incongruous  with  the  notions  attached  by  any  religious 
community  to  the  ordinance  of  baptism.  In  Kang-he's  Lexicon, 
ijan  is  explained  by  the  phrase  P7  i|^  U^  Jk  E  wiih  tow  shw&y 
— quoted  from  the  Shwfi  wan — "  lo  dip  a  thing  in  water ;"  and  united 
with  §^  PeTIi,  "  a  pencil," — as  ttan  pe'k — il  signifies  "  to  dip  the 
point  of  a  pencil  in  water;"  hut  it  is  never  applied  lo  persons. 
The  very  idea  of  one  person  dipping  another,  according  to  the 
sense  conveyed  by  tsan,  would  be  most  absurd,  not  to  say  ridi- 

tculous,  in  Ihe  judgment  of  the  Chinese,  Still  such  phrases  occur 
in  Dr.  Marshman's  translation,  aa  "John  the  dipper;"  "Thead- 
loinistrator  of  dippings"  "  He  who  imparta  dipping;"  "  Was  dipped 
by  John  in  the  river  Jordan,"  The  passnge  on  which  Mr  Cone 
BO  severely  animadverts  in  the  preceding  extract  (Luke  iii.  16) 
is  thus  rendered  by  the  Baptist  brethren  :  "  Then  John  answered 
the  multitude,  saying,  I  indeed  dip  you  rvitk  water,  but  there  ia 
one  mightier  than  I  wh  o  cometh,  his  shoes'  latchet  I  am  not 
worthy  to  unloose,  he  shall  dip  you  with  the  Holy  Spirit  and 
I,"  is  aingularly  infelicitous  in 


■*re.- 


;  particle  J^^ 


wnnectioti  with  tsan,  where  there  ought  to  be  _7V.  3ii^  "  into," 


50  CRITICAL    NOTICBS   OF 

perhaps,  ^  Yu  ''in,"  &c.,  like  the  Ghreek  ty.  Dr.  Manhman's 
and  Dr.  Morrison's  translation  of  this  verse  so  remarkably  coincide, 
that,  with  the  exception  of  ttan  for  $6^  and  the  unimportant 
transposition  of  a  word  or  two,  an  impartial  observer  would  sup- 
pose the  one  to  be  copied  verbatim  from  the  other,  especially 
as  similar  coincidences  occur  so  frequently  throughout  the  New 
Testament,  as  quite  to  preclude  the  idea  of  their  being  fortuitous. 

Now  since  Dr.  Morrison's  New  Testament  is  the  older  version, 
in  which  «,  "with,"  connected  with  ae  is  perfectly   idiomatic, 
while  Dr.  Marshman  unites  e  with  Uan^  contrary  to  usage,  this 
solecism  must  have  proceeded   from  reluctance  on  his  part  to 
forsake  the  guidance  of  his  predecessor,  even  for  a  moment,  save  in 
the  choice  of  a  word  for  baptism.     Numerous  examples  might  be 
brought  to  illustrate  the  identity  of  expression  in  the  two  versions, 
with  the  exception  of  a  different  pronoun  or  conjunction,  or  some 
other  immaterial  verbal  alteration.     Where  then  is  the  boasted 
superiority  of  the  Baptists,  to  whom  alone,  according  to  Mr.  Cone, 
it  is  given  to  understand  the  mind  of  God,  and  to  translate  it  from 
the  Greek  ?  Their  eminence  as  Chinese  translators  seems  to  consist, 
first,  in  appropriating  other  men's  versions  without  acknowledgment ; 
and,  secondly,  in  decrying  them  as  unfaithful,  nay  even  "  corrupt ;" 
because,  forsooth,  Bairr/{ci»  has  been  rendered  by  a  word,  which 
signifies  the  application  of  water,  irrespective  of  the  mode^  to 
persons  and   things,  rather  than  by  one  (like  Dr.  Marshman^s 
tsan)    to   which,  in    such  connection,  no  Chinese   scholar   can 
attach  a  rational  or  consistent  idea?    Is  this  the  proof  of  their 
ability  to  teach  "  the  way  of  the  Lord  more  perfectly  ?"     And  does 
he  secure  the  nearest  approach  to  the  mind  of  God,  who  renders 
Baxr/4^w  by  a  word,  that  bears  no  allusion,  literal  or  figurative  to 
any  of  its  meanings,  save,  perchance,  that  of  dippingy  tinging,  or 
staining  f  and  must  another  be  denounced  as  a  corrupt  trans- 
lator of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  whose  version  stands  unimpeached 
even  by  his  opponents,  simply  because  he  entertains  a  different 
opinion  on  baptism  ?    The  peculiarity  of  the  case  lies  in  this— 
that   although   Mr.  Hinton    designates   his   denomination    "  im- 
mersionists,"  tsan  does  not  mean  to  immerse,  but  to  dip  ;   which 
is,  nevertheless,  not  used  by  Dr.  Morrison  when  that  word  occurs 
either  in  his  Old   or  New  Testament,  probably  because  it  was 
thought  to  be  too  colloquial ;  nor,  what  is  still  more  remarkable,  by 
Dr.  Marshman,  in  his  New  Testament,  who,  indeed,  transcribes  Dr. 
Morrison's  terms  for  "dipping;"  as  in  the  four  following  examples, 
where,  though  different  Chinese  words  occur  in  each  case,  both  ver- 


DR.    HOItRISOKS   LITERARY    LABOURS. 


51 


sions  exactly  agree.  The  first  instance  i«  in  Matt.  ch.  xjtvi.  ver.  23 : 
"  He  that  dippeth  his  hand  with  me  in  the  dish,  the  same  shall  betray 
me :"  here,  nat  only  "  dippeth"  is  translated  in  both  versions  by 
A.  Jiih  "  to  enter,"  or  "  cause  to  enter,"  but  every  other  word  of  the 
verse  is  the  same,  except  that  a  mere  euphonic  particle,  omitted  by 
Dr.  Morrison,  is  inserted  by  Dr.  Mar^hman  at  the  end  of  the  verse. 
The  second,  ia  the  parallel  passage  in  Mark,  ch.  xiv.  ver.  20,  where 
Dr.  Morrison  renders  "dipthe  handinto,"  by  J^  ^  7\  Tow  show 
jijh,  while  Dr.  Marahman  has  used,  instead  of  lov,  "to  dip," 
J^  Fang  "  to  put" — a  less  appropriate  term,  and  the  only  differ- 
ence in  the  whole  verae.  The  third  instance  is  in  Luke,  ch.  xvL 
ver.  24,  which,  except  the  interchange  of  some  trifling  synony- 
mes,  ia  aiibstantially  the  same  in  both  translations : — the  expression 
" dip  the  tip  of  his  finger,"  is  rendered  "take  bis  finger  head  and 
dip  it  in  water."  The  fourth  and  last  instance  which  I  shall  adduce 
on  this  point,  is  in  John,  chap.  xiii.  ver.  26,  where  "  dippeth  the 
sop,"  is  rendered  in  each  version  by  wj  j^  Chen-sbih.  Now,  on 
the  supposition  that  the  translators  were  mutually  independent  of 
each  other's  labours,  such  coincidences  exhibit  the  following  sin- 
gular phenomena  : — firat,  that  two  individuals,  in  distant  parts  of 
the  world,  should,  unknown  to  each  other,  agree  to  rppresent  one 
idea,  in  a  certain  number  of  places,  by  different  Chinese  words;  and 
secondly,  determine  that  those  words,  when  others  equally  ap- 
propriate might  have  been  substituted,  should  each  occupy  exactly 
the  same  position  in  both  versions, 

ut  not  to  pnrsue  this  point  further  than  is  needful  for  its  il- 
lustration. I  will  only  add  some  remarks  on  the  etymology  and 
different  acceptations  of  tsan  and  se.  The  former,  aa  already 
stated,  means  "  to  dip."  though  wo  think  this  is  but  its  secondary 
and  colloquial  sense;  for,  according  to  Chinese  usage,  the  same 
character,  under  different  names,  becomes  the  symbol  of  distinct 
ideas;  thus  Uan  in  question  is  also  pronounced  tueaou,  and 
tben  it  means,  "  to  drink  liquor  until  one  be  quite  drunk," 
liich  is  most  probably  its  original  signification;  because  its 
principal  parts  are  "  wine,  wings,  and  fire,"  which  compounded 
thus  ftlfe  and  pronounced  tieaou,  signify,  "  to  bum  incense 
ittims;"  and  to  "ponr  out  libations."  It  furthermore 
tapresses  the  idea  of  erecting  an  altar,  and  of  offering  prayerSi 
with  certain  rites  and  ceremonies  for  the  dead,  whether  per- 
formed by  the  priests  of  Buddha,  or  those  of  the  Taou  sect ;  and 
connected  ^  with  Seih,  "amat,"  or  with  ^^Gan"re8t,"  it  means 


52  CRITICAL    NOTICES   OF 

an  entertainment,  prepared  chiefly  at  aepulchres,  in  honoui 
the  dead ;  hence  Jjff  ^  ^  -^  ^  |ffi|  Ta  san  teen  ping  j 
tseaou,  may  be  rendered  ''  to  perform  a  sort  of  requiem  for  tb 
days.*'    How  such  a  term,  with  the  simple  addition  of  **^  Tsa 

**  grass,"  placed  at  the  top  of  it  (which  is  tbe  only  distinct 
between  this  character  and  tsan)  came  to  be  used  in  tbe  sense 
"  to  dip,"  is  solvable  only  on  the  supposition  that  there  had  bee 
provincialism  of  that  sound  and  signification,  to  which,  as  is 
imcommon,  a  symbol  was  at  length  appropriated ;  and  in  this  n 
like  many  vulgar  characters,  it  obtained  a  sense  not  sanctio] 
by  classical  authority.  But  even  supposing  the  mode  of  haptisn 
be  restricted  to  immersion,  I  am  utterly  at  a  loss,  on  any  princi 
of  analogy  or  etymology,  especially  from  the  philosophicsd  nat 
of  the  Chinese  language,  to  account  for  the  choice  of  such  a  woi 
y^Se,  used  by  Dr,  Morrison,  is  composed  of  two  8ymb< 
ahwuy  "water,"  and  seen  "  to  precede ;"  "to  ascend  first;"  "befor 
*'  elder ;"  and  other  similar  meanings.  It  has  a  literal  and  oh 
phorical  import,  or  rather  a  physical  and  moral  sense.  Genenll' 
may  be  said  to  indicate  the  contact  of  a  person  or  thing  with  wat 
it  also  means  to  wash  the  hands,  the  feet,  and  the  face  as  well 
to  purify  the  person  with  water,  irrespective  of  the  mode 
quantity ;  although  the  application  of  the  element  to  the  subjc 
not  the  subject  to  the  element,  would  be  the  idea  most  natun 
suggested.  In  different  places  of  the  East,  which  I  have  visit 
pouring  water  on  the  head  at  the  side  of  a  well,  a  tank  or  a  rii 
is  the  usual  manner  of  bathing  with  the  Chinese  ;  while  in  tli 
own  country,  according  to  Dr.  Morrison,  they  bathe  in  tubs, 
rivers  ;  but  whether  by  immersion  or  pouring,  does  not  appear. 
any  opinion  may  be  formed  from  the  word  ^^  Pun,  **  a  bathi 
vessel,'*  which  also  denotes  a  jar,  pitcher,  basin,  washhai 
ba^in,  and  an  ancient  earthenware  measure,  I  should  fh 
its  size,  infer  that  the  latter  was  the  more  frequent  mot 
without,  however,  denying  the  existence  of  the  practice  of  i 
mersion ;  but  whatever  be  the  mode,  the  act  would  be  c 
pressed  by  the  same  term  ^jff^  ^  Se  shin.  There  are  also  odi 
words  in  use,  with  some  of  which  ae  is  connected  as  y 
^^Seleang;  J^j^  Seyfih;  ^  ^  Se  tsaou;  J^  i 
Se  miih ;  ^  '^  Miih  ytih,  all  which  signify  to  bathe ;  and  i 
though  immersion  is  neither  their  appropriate,  nor  necessar 
implied  meaning,  yet  any  of  the  terms  would  convey  the  -idea  i 


DR.   mohrison's  LITKRA-KV   labouhs. 


53 


fiiiilely  better  tlian  ^  Tsan.  Se  accurately  expxesseB  the  menn- 
ing  orflarrii,^,  id  Luke,  ch.  xi.  ver.  38,  where  it  is  said  the  Pharisee 
marvdled  "  that  Jesus  had  not  first  washed  {lfiairriv6n)  before 
dinner. "  The  same  Greek  word  is  med  in  the  Apocrypha,  for  the 
application  of  water  to  the  body,  as  in  Judith,  chap,  xii,  ver.  7, 
tai  IjiawriiiTO  iv  rp  irapi/ieoXp  iiri  rfic  mfyijc  rou  B^nroe,  "and 
she  washed  herself  at  a  well  of  water,  in  the  camp" — not  by 
immersing  herself  in  the  well,  but,  as  it  is  most  reasonable  to 
suppose,  by  drawing  water,  and  pouring  it  upon  her  head,  ac- 
cording to  the  usual  mode  of  performing  ablutions  in  the  East, 
which  consists  in  acaltering  (if  ihe  term  be  admissible)  or  pouring 
water  on  the  head,  the  hands,  or  the  feet.  The  Mahometans, 
whose  ceremonies  resemble  those  of  the  ancient  Pharisees,  and 
strikingly  illustrate  portions  of  the  Jewish  law,  never  immerse  the 
body;  bnt  in  their  "divera  washings,"  (Sto^opoic  j3aTri(ifioJc) 
act  agreeahly  to  the  sentiment  impressed  by  the  Saviour  on  the 
mind  of  Peter  "  he  that  is  washed  needeth  not  save  to  wash  his 
feel,  but  is  clean  every  whit ;"  that  is,  it  is  neither  the  quantity  of 
water,  nor  the  mode  of  adminiiitering  it,  but  devotion  to  the  thing 
signified,  that  constitutes  discipleship. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  all  the  terms  mentioned  above,  have 
both  a  moral  and  a  physical  signification.  Se  means  to  purify  the 
mind,  as  well  as  to  cleanse  the  body ;  hence  there  is  a  popular 
Chinese  essay  on  ethical  subjeets,  entitled  Se-sin-tseHi-yaou,  "  im- 
portant selections  for  cleansing  the  heart."  A  similar  moral  ap- 
plication of  the  term  19  made  in  the  following  sentence:  "the 
Emperor  Tang  washed  (se)  his  heart  from  wickedncsB,  as  he  bathed 
his  body  to  cleanse  it,"  Ttaou  signifies  to  purify  and  to  bathe; 
VK  M3h,  to  be  imbued  with  favours,  as  when  a  devotee  repairs  to 
temple  to  express  his  gratitude  for  mercies  received,  he  designates 
himself  ^J^  ^  JJ.  Hah  gSn  le  ts2c,  "  a  disciple  imbued  with 
blessings ;"  not  immersed  in  them :  for  the  original  meaning  of 
Mah  is  to  wash  and  oil  the  hair,  to  enrich  as  by  dewa  or  precious 
ointments.  Indeed  it  would  be  exceedingly  difficult,  if  not  im- 
possible, to  find  a  Chinese  word,  applied  exclusively  to  im- 
mersion, that  did  not  also  signify  to  drown  ;  hence  Dr.  Marshman 
avoiding,  for  obvious  reasons,  a  word  so  clearly  defined,  and  not 
choosing  se,  because  it  might  be  applied  to  other  modes  of  baptism, 
has  adopted  a  term  which,  according  to  its  usual  ncecptntion,  could 
not  possibly  represenl  lo  the  Chinese  ihe  pr.icttce  of  immersion. 

Another  figurative  use  of  le  corresponds  to  that  of  VT^    which 


64 


CRITICAL    NOTICES     OF 


the  English  traQBlatorB  have  rendered  "  wash,"  in  the  10th  verse  of 
Iviiith  Psalm, "  he  shall  wash  his  feet  in  the  blood  of  the  wicked,"  as 
in  the  plirase  ^  W  Se  yuen,  "  he  shall  wash  away  (take  ample 
satisfaction  for)  injuries  ;"  the  title  of  a  Chinese  work  on  medical 
jurisprudence,  wherein  directions  are  given  to  the  proper  officers  of 
government— coroners,  magistrates,  surgeons,  and  others — to  ascer- 
tain the  causes  of  violent  deaths,  and  bring  the  murderers  to  justice. 
In  the  body  of  the  work  se  is  used  interchangeably  with  seuf ;  "  to 
moke  white  as  snow;"  that  is, to  remove  the  injury  done  to  the 
memory  of  iLe  dead,  and  render  f\ill  satisfaction  both  to  surviving 
relatives  and  the  insulted  dignity  of  the  law,  by  washing  away  the 
crime  in  the  blood  of  its  author,  exacting  hfe  for  life.  Nor  would 
the  application  of  this  word  to  the  idea  of  suffering,  for  which 
baptism  is  used  in  the  Scriptures,  present  any  thing  incongruous  to 
a  Chinese  mind ;  nay,  the  phrase  j^J^  ^^  |^  ^^  E  bene  urh  »e, 
"baptised  with  blood,"  as  it  appears  to  me,  would  most  strikingly 
express  the  sense  of  baptism  into  death ;  and,  therefore,  though  it 
would  not  be  a  proper  translation  of  this  passage,  there  would  be  no 
impropriety  in  rendering  "  baptism"  by  Be,  Se  is  also  used  in  con- 
nection with  ij^  Ho  "  fire,"  by  the  Chinese  themselves  j  and  hence 
the  combination  in  that  passage  (Luke,  ch.  iii.  ver,  16)  already 
alluded  to,  which  Mr,  Cone  attempts  to  ridicule,  would  be  by  no 
means  unnatural  to  a  Chinese,  even  if  the  words  were  understood 
literally :  "  I  indeed  with  water  puriJy  (baptize)  you ;  he  shall  with 
the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire  purify  (baptize)  you."  It  cannot  be 
expected  that  a  Christian  ordinance  should  be  expressed  with  all 
desirable  precision  in  a  Pagan  language;  nor  would  it  suit  the 
genius  of  the  Chinese  to  retain  the  original  term;  for,  granting 
that  three  monosyllables,  as  Pa-tae-sze,  might  be  selected  to  re- 
present Banr/ftu,  yet  the  object  of  Chinese  symbols,  which  ts  to 
convey  sense  alone,  could  not  thereby  be  attained,  wliile  the  abrupt 
introduction  of  unmeaning  names  must  excite  disgust.  Tliere 
being  in  such  images  of  thought,  neither  pre6x,  aiffix,  nor  any 
other  accident  to  distinguish  a  verb  from  a  noun,  or  an  abstract 
term  from  the  concrete,  it  is  impossible  that  they  should  readily 
coalesce  with  foreign  sounds  and  alphabetic  combinations.  The 
point  of  inquirj-  with  the  Baptists  will  turn  on  the  radical  meaning 
attached  by  natives  to  the  word  ee,  which  undoubtedly  is  ablu- 
tion of  the  body,  or  of  a  part  of  it,  by  the  application  of  water.  It 
is  equally  important  to  ask  what  ^aimfu  signified — in  its  unconse- 
crated  state— before  John  and  the  disciples  of  Christ  appropriated  it 
as  tlie  designation  of  iheir  initiatory  ordinance.   Water  is  employed 


Dll.    MURHISON'a    LITEKARY    LADUURS.  65 

>a  Scripture  to  denote  purifying  influences,  a  copiouB  effuaion  of 
blessings ;  and  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  /JairriCu  oieaiis  "  to  wash, 
to  cleanse,  to  purify  ;"  and  that  it  is  used  in  baptism  to  denote  the 
purity  of  which  this  ordinance  is  outwardly  emblematical ;  while  it  is 
equally  certain  that  John  would  be  regarded  by  his  contemporaries  as 
the  administrator  of  the  element  lo  the  subject ;  for,  otherwise,  bap- 
tism would  not  be  his  act,  but  the  peopWg.  It  is  in  vain,  however,  lo 
expect  to  agree  in  translating  a  term,  when  the  two  parties  not  only 
attach  different  ideas  to  the  mode  which  it  expresses,  but  disagree 
also  both  with  regard  to  the  subjects,  and  the  figurative  meanmg  of 
the  ordinance.  The  English  word  baptism  having  been  borrowed 
from  the  Greek,  is  appUed  not  in  its  ordinary,  but  reUgious  ac- 
ceptation;  and,  consequently,  signifies  whichever  mode  the  party 
adopting  it  assumes  to  be  the  proper  one;  so  the  Chinese  J^  Sc, 
being  general,  and,  moreover,  of  the  same  figurative  meaning  as 
the  original,  might,  in  connection  with  Le,  "  ordinance,"  represent 
ftny  mode  of  baptism  to  which  ita  respective  patrons  choose  to 
Attach  the  phrase. 

There  is  another  point  of  too  much  importance  to  be  overlooked 
in  this  controversy ;  which  ia,  that  Dr.  Morrison  could  have  used  J^ 
Sha,  "  to  sprinkle,"  or  ^\  Chin,  "  to  pour,"  had  be  been  desirous  of 
restricting  the  term  to  a  particular  idea.  Qut  this  would  not  have 
•uited  his  catholic  views ;  and  he  therefore  selected  t€,  which 
has  the  advantage  of  being  a  classical  word,  generally  understood, 
■nd  of  unexcepUonahle  moral  import ;  whose  literal  signification 
is  comprehensive  with  regard  to  manner,  mode,  and  circumstance, 
without  being  encumbered  by  any  superstitious  application  : — 
unlike,  for  example,  ^  Ftih,  used  by  the  Buddhists  to  denote  "  a 
religiouK  observance,  a  kind  of  heathen  baptism," — which  occurs 
on  the  third  of  the  third  moon,  for  the  puqtose  of  washing  away, 
or  expelling  what  is  infelicitous. 

From  what  has  been  said,  I  think  the  subject  may  be  safely  left 
to  the  candid  consideration  of  the  reader,  who,  if  he  thinks  that  the 
original  word  ought  not  to  be  transferred,  will,  I  doubt  not, 
lu^knowledge  that  Se  is  one  of  the  most  appropriate  terms  by  which 
it  could  have  been  translated ;  especially  since  the  Romanists,  many 
of  whom  were  admirable  Chinese  scholars,  adopted  it  without  con- 
troversy. It  is  used  by  Dr.  Morrison,  sometimes  alone,  when  its 
meaning  is  "  lo  baptize;"  aomettmea  in  connection  with  /bo;  as 
4^  )^  ^'*^  '^'  ('*'^'^')  ■■  ^^  ordinary  phrase  of  the  Catholics) 
meaning  "to impart  baptism,"  and  sometimes  with  «A«,-  as  j[j^  i^ 


56 


CRITICAL   NOTICES   OF 


She  M,  "  to  adminUUT  bsptiim."  The  pwHve  aenae  ia  exprewed 
bj  linff,  or  ahon,  before  te,  "to  receive  UptUm."  But  thew 
remarki  must  suffice  on  this  subject. 

Secondly,  We  proceed  to  notice  the  method  by  which  proper 
names  have  been  transferred.  Since  the  words  of  other  languages 
are  represented  in  Chinese  by  symbols  alone,  to  which  arbitrary 
sounds  are  attached,  destitute  of  B,  D,  R,  or  Z,  as  initials,  and  ua. 
accompanied  with  any  elementary  forms  analogous  to  an  alphabet, 
an  exact  exhibition  of  Hebrew  or  Greek  names  becomes  imprac- 
ticable. Some  of  the  former  in  the  Old  Testament  are  not  only 
difficult  to  approximate  with  Chinese  characters,  but  withal  bar- 
barous to  a  native  ear.  This  circumstance,  arising  from  opposite 
principles  of  pronunciation  in  the  two  languages,  is  beyond  the 
control  of  the  translator,  who  could  not  consistently  depart  from 
the  original,  for  the  sake  of  euphony.  Some  names,  occurring  hi 
the  New  Testament,  are  not  difficult  to  transfer,  nor  barsji  when 
transferred,  such  as  Jesus,  '  Yaysoo  ;*  Matthew,  '  Ma-tow  ;'  Mark, 
'Ma-urh-ko;'  Luke,  'Loo-kea;'  John,  '  Jo-han;'  Paul,  'Paou-lo.' 
Perhaps  there  are  others  in  the  Chinese  translation,  both  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testament,  that  might  be  curtailed  with  advantage,  and 
for  which  symbols,  both  more  euphonic  and  more  agreeable  10  the 
eye,  might  have  been  selected;  but  the  subject  is  difficult  to 
manage  satisfactorily  with  a  people  the  great  mass  of  whom  hold 
all  foreign  tongues  in  contempt.  Sometimes  the  translation  of  a 
generic  term  occupying  the  text,  is  inserted  in  the  margin ;  as 
Behemoth,  "  the  greatest  of  the  animal  race  ;"  Leviathan,  "  the 
largest  of  the  scaly  tribe."  Sometimes  the  sense  is  substituted  in 
the  text  for  the  name,  when  a  pecuUar  reason  is  given  for  its  »e. 
lection ;  as,  "  that  in  which  the  Lord  delightelh,"  instead  of  Heph' 
jibah  :  "  a  married  wife,"  for  Beulah  (Is,  ch.  G'ind.  v,  4th).  Some- 
times the  converse  of  this  mode  is  adopted  ;  as,  Mahanaim  tn  ihs 
text,  with  the  foUowing  explanation  in  the  margin,  "  tlie  meaning 
of  the  original  word  is  '  boats'  or  '  annies'  (keun)."  From  these 
remarks  it  maybe  inferred,  that  chapters  furnishing  genealogical 
information,  will  not  be  very  favourably  received  by  the  Chinese 
reader,  unaccustomed  as  he  is,  in  native  works,  to  the  inharmonious 
combination  of  so  many  symbols  as  the  proper  names  of  Scripture 
require.  Appellations  of  sects  and  their  leaders  must  necessarily, 
for  the  same  reason,  appear  uncouth,  and  be  difficult  to  naturaliifr. 
Still  the  Chinese  are,  in  some  degree,  prepared  for  foreign  sonnd*— 
by  their  familiarity  during  three  centuries  with  Maochow  Tartar, 
which  is  a  syllabic  language  sufficiently  distinct  from  their  own — 


4 


DR.    HORAISON  8   LITERARY    LABODSd. 


57 


I 


by  intercourse,  during  nine  ceoturies,  with  Mohammedsn*,  to  whom 
they  were  indebted  for  their  earliest  improvements  in  astronomical 
science — by  an  acquaintance  of  eighteen  centuries  with  the  writings 
of  the  Buddhists,  which  contain  innumerable  names  and  words  of 
Indian  origin — by  means  of  commercial  and  political  intercourse  with 
Europeans,  for  the  space  of  three  or  four  centuries — and  especially 
by  the  extensive  traOic  which  has  subsisted,  ^m  time  immemo- 
rial, between  China  Proper  and  neighbouring  kingdoms  and  islands 
in  the  Eastern  Archipelago,  whereby  those  Chinese,  who  thus  become 
conversant  with  strange  dialects,  are  indirectly  prepared  to  receive 
a  foreign  book  like  the  Scriptures,  without  being  offended  at  its 
proper  names,  or  its  anti-national  character ;  and  who,  laying  aside 
their  own  prejudices,  may  be  expected.to  become  instrumental  in 
removing  those  of  their  less  favoured  countrymen.  Thenumerous 
provincial  dialects,  many  of  which  are  totally  dissimilar  to  each 
other  and  to  the  general  language  of  the  empire,  though  they  offer 
no  insuperable  obstacle  to  the  diffusion  of  Divine  Truth,  oppose 
practical  difficulties  to  one  uniform  pronunciation  of  proper  names. 
This,  however,  is  equally  the  case  with  tliose  of  the  most  dis- 
tinguished peraona-es  in  China  ;  and  may  be  illustrated  by  the 
name  of  the  Emperor,  which,  in  Mandarin,  is  pronounced  Taou- 
kwang,  in  FQh.keen,  To-kong,  and  in  Canton  Tow-kwong.  So  with 
regard  to  the  names  of  Confucius  and  Meocius ;  the  former  in  Man- 
darin is  Kung-foo-tsze,  in  Fiih-ke«ti,  Kong-hoo-tsoo  ;  the  latter,  in 
Mandarin,  Mang-tsze,  is  in  Fiih-keen,  Beeng-tsoo.  The  sacred 
name  Jesus,  which,  as  already  stated,  is  Yay-soo,  in  Mandarin, 
would  be  Ya-eaw,  in  Fuh-kecn — the  former  a  pronounced  as  in 
the  word  "father,"  tlie  latter  as  in  the  word  "saw." 

The  Chinese,  whether  in  speaking  or  writing,  having  once  given 
a  proper  name  in  full,  usually  abbreviate  it  when  it  occurs  again. 
If  this  plan  were  applied  to  the  names  used  in  Sacred  Scripture,  it 
would  soon  become  familiar  to  the  reader,  whose  car  might  be  as 
readily  habituated  to  Pe-sze-too,  for  "  Peter  the  Apostle,"  instead 
of  Pe-lo-lo-sze-loo,  as  to  Choo-tsze,  ''  Choo,  the  philosopher,''  em- 
ployed by  the  Chinese  for  Choo-be-foo-tsze — the  entire  name  and 
title  of  a  celebrated  commentator  on  the  Chinese  classics.  A II  who 
expound  the  Chinese  Scriptures  experience  great  difficulty  in 
quoting  ancient  examples  of  faith  and  piety,  from  their  lengthened 
as  well  as  unknown  names,  which,  however  a  faithful  translator, 
could  not  abridge  to  suit  Chinese  taste ;  hence  it  is  desirable  that 
names,  consisting  of  four  or'five  symbols,  should  he  contracted  to 
one  or  two,  and  published  as  a  distinct  accompaniment  to  the  Bible. 
To  such  a  system,  designed  also  to  form  a  comprehensive  index,  or 


08  CRITICAL   N0TICB3   OP 

concordance,  of  proper  names.  Dr.  Morrison  latterly  turned  hU  at- 
tention,  with  a  view  to  facilitate  the  Ubouri  of  the  preacher  And 
expositor  of  Divine  Truth. 

Thirdly.  The  third  point  of  attention  is  the  manner  in  which 
different  kinds  of  style,  as  tlie  Historical,  Poetical,  Prophetical, 
Didactic,  and  Narrative,  have  been  represented  in  Chinese,  The 
Bible  is  not  a  book  written  by  one  man,  or  one  class  of  men.  on  a 
uniform  subject,  although  its  leading  principles  exhibit  unity  of 
design;  hut  it  is  the  production  of  several  persons  of  varied  abiUty, 
who  lived  in  different  and  distant  ages  of  the  world,  under  great 
diversity  of  circumstances,  whose  attainments  in  human  literature 
were  of  the  most  opposite  descnption,  while  their  mode  of  writing 
is  as  peculiar,  as  the  topics  discussed  are  unique;  yet  with  whatever 
diversity  of  mind — natural,  moral,  or  acquired — and  how  variously 
soever  employed — aa  in  simple  records  of  facts,  argumentative  dis- 
quisitions, pathetic  appeab,  forcible  representations,  graphic  descrip- 
tions, minute  doctrinal  distmctions,  and  bold  personifications — one 
superintending  and  Almighty  Spirit  guides,  animates,  and  controls 
the  entire  series  of  compositions,  whether  dramatic,  devotional, 
prophetic,  or  retrospective  in  their  characteristics  and  design. 
Does  not,  then,  the  translation  of  such  a  multifarious  composition 
into  the  luiguage  of  peraons  more  than  ordinarily  incomprtent  In 
sympathize  with  its  sacred  sentiments,  demand  from  those  who  sit 
in  judgment  on  its  merits,  the  most  candid  and  liberal  spirit  of 
criticism  ?  But  exclusive  of  pomts  more  or  less  applicable  to 
every  version,  much  will  depend  upon  the  literary  character  of  the 
people  to  whom  the  word  of  God  is  first  presented  in  their  native 
tongue,  aa  to _the  difficulties  accruing  therefrom  to  the  translator; 
and  hence,  prior'to  an  examination  of  his  work,  it  may  be  desirable 
to  ascertain  the  nature  of  some  of  the  principal  Chinese  clasaics. 

As  national  records  are  of  the  first  importance  with  public  men, 
who  seek  the  renowu  of  their  country,  in  its  splendid  origin,  remole 
antiquity,  and  an  uninterrupted  succession  of  prosperous  events;  no 
a  book  designed  to  give  a  history  of  the  creation  of  mankind,  widi 
a  summary  of  human  conduct  and  proceedings  in  the  earliest  ages, 
will  meet  with  a  counterpart  in  every  Pagan  state  and  kingdom, 
sufficiently  advanced  in  civilization,  to  possess  written  memorials 
of  its  social  character  and  political  transactions,  Chinese  hiatories 
not  only  resemble  the  Mosaic  narrative  in  detailing  the  desceiil, 
number,  usages,  manners,  and  customs  of  a  singular  people,  sepa- 
rated  from  the  rest  of  mankind,  and  located  under  distinct  regula- 
tions, in  the  infancy  of  the  world,  but  in  developing  the  process  bv 
which  the  heavens  and  the  earth  were  generated,  from  the  simplesi 


MORRISON  6    LITERARY   LABOURS. 


59 


H    creative  elements,  to  tkejr  &nat  and  complete  oi^anizabon.     If  this 

H    analogy  be  accounted  for,  oa  the  grouad  of  acquaintance  with  the 

H    Sacred  writings,  obtaiued  through  the  interveation  of  some  common 

H    medium — Egypt  for  example — it  must  not  be   forgotten  that  the 

B    Chinese  acknowledge  no  such  source  of  information,  direct  or  in. 

termediate,  but  prefer  claims  lo  absolute  independence  of  every 

other  race  of  beings,  and  pronounce  their  own  empire  to  be'coeval 

with  the  origin  of  the  universe,  which  they  date  thousands  of  years 

prior  to  the  Mosaic  eeia.      It   ta  somewhat  singular  that  coin. 

cidences  so  striking  should  subsist  between  certain  parts  of  Chinese 

literature,  and  portions  of  the  Jewish  writings,  which  cannot,  even 

by  the  aid  of  tradition,  he  traced  positively  to  the  same  source. 

I  The  arduous  duty  of  translating  the  Sacred  Scriptures  into  the 
language  of  the  Chinese,  is  commenced  under  the  discouraging  im- 
pressioD,  that  one  portion  of  their  ancient  classics  contains  theories 
of  cosmogony,  to  which  importance  is  attached,  merited  only  by 
inspired  truths ;  that  another  narrates  the  catastrophe  of  a  general 
deluge,  with  brief  transactions,  during  what  may  he  designated 
the  {>atriarchal  times  of  China,  not  dissimilar  in  their  general  cha- 
racter to  some  of  the  early  events  detailed  in  Genesis;  that  ft  third 
comprises  an  elaborate  system  of  ancient  rites  and  customs,  appli- 
cable to  man  in  his  consanguineous  and  political  relations,  but  to 
be  speciaily  observed  at  his  birth/his  marriage,  and  his  death,  as  the 
most  important  points  of  human  history — this  ceremonial  code, 

tboth  political  and  rehgious,  said  to  bear  undoubted  marks  of  pri- 
maeval excellence,  may  be  compared  to  the  Institutes  of  Moses; 
that  a  fourth,  the  "  Classic  of  Odes,"  with  regard  to  its  name,  but 
in  no  other  respect,  resembles  the  poetical  compositions  of  the 
Scriptures,  below  which,  to  say  nothing  of  the  sentiments  contained 
in  the  sweet  songs  of  David,  or  tbe  sublime  strains  of  Isaiah, 
it  sinks  immeasurably,  from  feebleness  of  conception,  and  want 

I  of  harmony  in  its  periods ;  that  the  fiilb,  the  Chronicles  of  Da^-id 
and  Solomon,  may,  perhaps,  find  a  counterpart  in  the  historical 
narrations  of  Confucius,  which  are  his  only  written  production; 
while  all  the  didactic  and  ethical  portions  of  Holy  Writ,  will  meet 
with  correspondent  attempts  to  instruct  mankind  in  the  sayings  of 
himself  and  another  celebrated  sage,  collected  by  their  disciples, 
and  transmitted  to  posterity  in  the  "  Four  Books."  These  works 
are  mentioned,  not  because  they  present  a  suitable  model  of  style 
to  the  translators  of  the  divine  records,  or  are  in  any  measure 
worthy  to  be  put  in  competition  with  them,  but  to  show  the  neces- 
sity of  constant  carefulness  not  to  identify  the  word  of  God  with 
Paganism,  by  adopting  its  ejtisting  phraseology;  while,  withal,  the 


60 


CRITICAL    NOTICES   OF 


painful  conviction  forces  ilsdf  on  the  mind  of  the  translator,  that 
by  closely  adhering  to  the  original,  his  style  will  be  denounced  as 
unclossical,  and  the  matter  which  it  is  his  object  to  conrey, 
will  be  esteemed  no  better  than  Pagan  theories  or  tables,  perhaps 
confounded  with  them. 

The  historical  portion  of  Holy  Writ,  which  forma  the  bada  of 
tlie  Old  TestamL'nt,  is,  by  reason  of  its  simple  style,  and  the  inartifi- 
cial manner  in  which  its  periods  are  constructed,  easily  rendered  into 
any  langnoge,  especially  the  Chinese,  whose  genius  is  remarkably 
adapted  to  consecutive  composition.  An  illustration  of  this  remark 
may  be  derived  from  the  former  verses  of  the  first  chapter  til' 
Geneais,  which  I  shall  translate  literally  from  the  Chinese,  pre- 
mising that  the  gender,  number,  and  coses  of  nouns,  as  well  m 
modes  and  tenses  of  verbs,  are  usually  undistinguished  : — "  God  io 
the  beginning  created  (made  at  first)  heaven  and  eartli,  and  tlie 
earth  without  form  and  empty,  and  darkness  upon  the  abyss's  sur- 
face; and  God's  spirit  vibrated  (or  moved)  over  the  water's  surtnce. 
God  said.  Let  obtain  light,  and  immediately  have  light ;  and  God 
saw  the  light  to  he  good.  God  separated  the  light  and  the  darkness. 
The  light  God  named  it  to  be  day,  the  darkness  he  named  it  to  be 
night,  and  the  evening  and  the  morning  were  the  first  day.  Ofod 
said,  In  the  waters'  midst  let  there  be  an  expaoBe,  in  order  to  divide 
the  waters  from  the  waters.  And  God  completed  (or  effected)  an 
expan>e,  and  divided  the  waters  m  the  e.vpanse  above,  from  the 
waters  in  the  expanse  below,  and  immediately  have  it  (or  it  was 
thus).  The  expanse  God  named  it  to  be  heaven,  and  the  evening 
and  the  morning  were  the  second  day.  And  God  said  let  heaven 
below's  waters  attain  accumulation  (or  be  congregated)  ii 
and  the  dry  land  become  manifest ;  and  immediately  have  it. 
dry  land  God  named  it  to  be  earth,  the  congregation  of  the  i 
he  named  to  he  ocean,  and  God  saw  it  to  be  good." 

There  is  no  person,  I  imagine,  acquainted  with  Chinese,  who  couM- 
not  comprehend  this  passage  as  well  as  an  Eughsh  reader,  of  eorre- 
sponding  attainmenta  in  his  own  language,  would  underatand  it  iii  iW 
authorized  version,  making  due  allowance  for  the  habits  engendeml 
by  Pagan  education!  and  the  same  remark  is  applicable  to  all 
similar  portions  of  composition  in  the  Scriptures,  A  peculiar- 
idiom  will  at  once  be  observed  by  the  mere  English  reader,  wM 
the  Hebrew  scholar  wiU  recognise  the  sense,  substantially  f 
faithfully,  of  the  original.  The  next  specimen  of  this  kind  of  at 
is  derived  from  a  portion  of  the  historical  books  translated  bvj 
Milne.*  The  limits  prescribed  to  these  remarks,  preclude  exteai 
*  See  Memoir,  page  3. 


lo  eo«M-        ■ 


MORRISOX  a    LITERARY    LABOURS. 


01 


I 


rUliutratioii ;  and  u  it  i>  desirable  lo  intToduce  a  specimen  from 
Dr.  Milne'scompoaitLon.lbe  visit  of  the  Queen  of  Sheba  to  Solomon, 
with  which  thii  divisiou  ofthe  subject  will  close,  baa  been  sdected 
(2d  Cfaron.,  ch.  9).  "  NowSheba's  queen  having  heard  respecting 
Solomon's  fame,  she  then  took  one  grent  company  of  men  and 

I  things,  and  camels  bearing  spices,  and  gold  very  much,  and  pre- 
eious  stones,  and  came  to  Yay-too-sS-lang  (Jerusalem)  desiring  to 
take  each  question's  difficulty,  and  try  Solomon.  Having  come  to 
Solomon's  place  time  (or  then),  she  took  her  heart  within  all  ideas 
(or  sentiments),  and  spake  tinto  the  king  to  know ;  and  Solomon 
answered  the  queen's  all  questions;  there  was  not  one  thing  con- 
cealed from  the  king — he  took  one  whole  and  informed  the  queen. 
Sheba's  queen  having  seen  Solomon's  wisdom,  and  he  that  which 
built  of  house,  his  mat's  food,  his  all  servants  arranged  sitting,  hia 
all  ministers  waiting,  and  standing  with  their  raiment,  and  his  all 
officers  of  wine  (cupbearers),  with  their  raiment,  and  he  thai  which 
'  leaned  against  and  ascended  to  the  Lord's  (Shin-choo)  bouse  of 
steps,  then  not  again  have  spirit  in  the  queen  within.  She  imme- 
diately spake  unto  the  king  saying,  '  I,  in  mine  own  country,  and 
that  which  heard  concerning  thine  own  acts  and  thy  wisdom's 
report  was  really  true  (i.  e.  the  report  which  I  heard,  Jcc. — a  very 
pec  tilt  ar  Chinese  idiom,  whereby  the  word  on  which  the  whole 
sentence  hinges  is  put  at  the  end  of  the  sentence] — but  I  did  not 
e  the  report  until  I  came  hither  and  mine  own  eyes  had  seen, 
then  (I)  knew  thy  wisdom's  greatest  one-half  had  not  been  com- 
inunieated  tome  to  know ;  for  thou  exceedest  I  that  which  heard 
of  fame  (i.  e.  the  fame,  &c,).  Happy  thy  men !  Happy  thy  these 
all  servants  to  be  constantly  standing  in  thy  presence,  hearing  thy 
wisdom  !  Blessings  return  to  the  Lord  thy  God,  having  delight  in 
thee  to  place  thee  in  his  throne,  npon  (i.  e,  on  bis  throne)  to  be 
king,  for  (or  itiatead  of)  the  Lord  Ihy  God,  because  he  loved  Israel, 
desiring  to  set  them  up  to  be  firm  (or  to  establish  them)  to  a  never- 
ending  duration,  therefore  be  appointed  ihee  to  be  their  king,  to 
.execute  judgment  and  righteousness.'  " 

The  frequent  use  of  nouns  rather  than  pronouns,  so  observable 
in  Genesis,  corresponds  to  the  idiom  of  the  Chinese,  which  not  only 
admits  this  apparent  tautology  without  offence,  but  even  requires  it 
for  the  sake  of  perspicuity.  Conjunctions  are  not  employed  where 
I  they  would  be  thought  necessary  in  English,  and  they  are  placed 
'  'Where  by  us  they  would  be  considered  as  redundant.  The  order  of 
ideas. and  modes  of  expression  are  alike  singular;  thus,  for  "all 
these  thy  servants,"  is  "thy  theae  all  servants,"  where  contrary 
idioms   express  exactly  the   same   sentiment.     "  Mat,"    used  for 


» 


oa  cnmcAL  notices  of 

"  table,''  18  retained  in  commemoration  of  an  ancient  cuaton  QOW 
obsolete,  of  preparing  a  banquet,  as  well  as  an  ordinaxy  repast  on 
the  Boor,  The  Chinese  worda  for  "  attendants,"  signify  to  "  stand 
by  will)  the  hands  hanging  close  to  the  sides — the  posture  of  re- 
spect in  those  who  wait  upon  the  sovereign.  Some  objection  might 
be  taken,  perhaps,  to  the  number  of  worda  employed,  and  some 
ailments  be  adduced  in  favour  of  a  more  concise  style,  while  the 
sentences  might,  by  a  different  arrangement,  be  thrown  into  a  mote 
natural  form,  wilhout  impotring  the  fidelity  of  the  translation';  still 
no  one  wilt  deny  that  the  sense  of  the  original  is  intelligibly  con- 
veyed in  a  manner  not  uncommon  with  native  writers. 

Among  the  poetical  portions  of  the  Scriptures,  a  part  of  the  book 
of  Job,  also  translated  by  Dr.  Milne,  and,  perhaps,  the  most  ancienl 
composition  in  the  Bible,  will  first  claim  our  attention.  As  my 
object  is  to  furnish  different  specimens  of  the  manner  in  nliich  the 
translation  has  been  effected,  tbese  must  necessarily  be  very  brief, 
accompanied  with  remarks  on  the  Chinese  alone,  without  noticiiif 
the  criticisms  of  the  learned  on  portions  of  the  original.  I  select 
from  this  book  the  former  verses  of  the  I4th  chapter,  of  which  the 
following  is  a  literal  translation : — "  Man  who  is  from  a  woman  jtnd 
bom,  his  all  days  are  few  and  full  of  affliction.  He  buds  (or 
springs  forth)  as  a  flower,  and  is  cut  off;  he  flielh  as  a  shadow  3iui 
does  not  abide ;  and  (wilt)  thou  also  open  thine  eyes  to  look  on 
such,  and  conduct  me  with  thee  to  enter  into  judgment?  Who  ii 
able  from  a  defiled  thing  to  take  out  that  which  is  clean  ?  There 
is  no  one  able.  Man's  all  days  have  an  appointed  limit,  and  hit 
each  month's  numbers  are  with  thee  ;  and  thou  hast  the  boundary 
be  is  unable  to  pass,  and  limited  him ;  then  turn  and  leave  him, 
that  he  may  rest  until  he,  as  a  hireling,  also  fulfils  his  day.  For  a 
tree  if  cut  dawn  also  hope  that  it  (will)  again  sprout,  and  its  tender 
bud  will  not  cease ;  its  root,  although  (it)  gradually  become  old 
in  the  earth,  and  its  trunk  die  in  the  ground.  Yet  because  cf 
scented*  water  it  shall  germinate,  and  send  forth  buds  as  if  planted. 

•  The  word  ^  Chow,  though  it  means  "  effluvia,"  "  smell  or  flavoar," 
generally,  would  more  properly,  in  connexion  with  ^  ShwSy «  w«ct," 
mean  "  fetid,"  on  the  principle  which  I  apprehend  to  be  ([enera]  with  t«- 
gard  to cAov,  that  when  it  is  an  adjective,  it  always  qualifies  its  suhituv- 
tive  in  a  bad  Bense  ;  anil  when  a  substantive,  it  may  mean  either  a  good 
or  bad  smell,  according  to  the  previous  word  by  which  its  sense  is  modi- 
fied. Probably  |^  ;;j^  3^  Yin  ahwiiy  ka  "  through  water's  effloria," 
might  have  lieen  preferable  to  Yin  chow  shwKy,  as  a  rendering  of  the 
original  words  ^'l?  D'^-lft 


DB    MORRISON  8   LITERARY    LABODBfl. 


63 


But  man  diea  and  fades  away.  Man  fends  forth  bis  spirit,  and  he 
e  is  ?  As  water  from  the  sea  fails,  and  rivers  by  drought  aie 
dried  up,  in  this  manner  mau  lies  down  and  does  not  arise ;  till  the 
aJl  heavens  be  exhausted  and  finished  they  shall  not  he  awaked 
nor  raised  from  their  sleep." 

The  next  portions,  taken  from  the  Psalms,  and  translated  hy 
Dr.  Morrison,  are  introduced  aa  well  to  evince  the  power  of 
the  Chinese  language  in  conveying  devotional  and  poetical  senti- 
ments, as  to  famish  specimens  of  translation,  In  all  apostrophes 
to  any  object,  the  Chinese  place  the  interjection  after  the  being 
apostrophised,  Tbus  jjS|l  ^  Shin  yu,  literally  "  God  !  oh  !"  hegina 
the  51st  Psalm,  That  is,  "0  God,  compassionate  me  according  to 
thy  favourable  love,  according  to  thy  multitudinous  compassions, 
and  blot  out  (away)  my  all  sins.  Cleanse  entirely  my  wicked 
errors,  and  purge  away  all  my  sbs.  For  1  myself  acknowledge  my 
transgressions;  my  sios  are  constantly  is  thy  presence  before  (i.  e, 
before  thee).  I  verily  have  committed  sin  against  thee— only  com- 
mitted sin  against  thee — and  in  thy  presence  done  this  evil,  so  that 
thou  speakest  time  (i.  e.  when  thou  spcakest),  then  manifest  thine 
own  righteousness,  and  judgest  time,  then  manifest  thine  own 
pority.  Now  I  ine%i],  and  received  creation,  and  in  sin  my  mother 
conceived  me.  Now  in  my  belly  within  ihou  requirest  sincerity, 
and  in  my  heart's  secret  places  thou  shalt  cause  me  to  know 
wisdom.  Purify  me  with  hyssop  (the  original  word  is  retained) 
and  1  then  (shall)  be  clean.  Wash  me  and  I  shall  be  whiter  than 
snow.  Cause  me  to  hear  joy  and  gladness,  so  that  thou  that  which 
hast  broken  of  bones  may  rejoice.  Cover  thy  face  not  to  see  my 
sins,  and  blot  out  all  mine  iniquity.  0  God,  in  me  within  create  a 
clean  heart,  and  in  me  within  new-cicate  a  correct  spirit.  Do  not 
compel  me  to  depart  from  thy  presence :  do  not  from  me  take  away 
thy  Holy  Spirit." 

A  few  verses  of  the  t39tb  Psalm,  which  celebrates  the  omnipre- 
sence of  God,  may  also  be  selected,  beginning  at  the  seventh  verse. 
"I  to  what  place  may  escape  from  thy  Spirit?  I  to  what  place 
may  escape  from  thy  presence?  I  if  ascend  to  heaven,  then  in 
that  place.  I  if  myself  make  bed  in  hell,  behold  thou  art  there. 
1  if  take  the  morning's  wings  and  dwell  in  the  sea's  remote  places, 
there  thy  hand  still  shall  lead  me,  thy  right  band  shall  guard  me. 
I  If  say  the  darkness  certainty  shall  cover  me,  then  the  night  shall 
surround  me  as  light.  Yea  (or  indeed)  the  darkness  does  not 
conceal,  so  that  thou  dost  not  see ;  but  the  night  is  luminous  as 


6.4  CRITICAL    NOTICES   OF 

the  day.    The  darkness  and  the  light,  both  with  regard  to  thee. 


are  one." 


In  characters  expressive  of  *'  tenderness,  love,  compassion,  grief, 
and  kindred  affections,"  '*  heart  is  conspicuously  placed  as  a  radical, 
or  a  principal  component  symbol,  whereby  an  impression  is  made 
on  the  mind,  through  the  medium  of  the  eye,  superior  to  that  pro- 
duced by  the  words  of  alphabetic .  languages,  which  derive  their 
effect  chiefly  from  the  power  of  the  living  voice.     To  purposes  of 
private  meditation,  the  exposition  of  connected  portions  of  the 
word  of  God,  and  a  system  of  mutual  instruction — in  Bible  classes, 
for  example-^with  the  Scriptures  in  the  hand,  the  Chinese  lan- 
guage is  admirably  adapted,  for  the  eye  affects  the  heart ;  and  to 
arrest  the  attention  symbols  are  repeated  twice,  thrice,  or  even  four 
times,  thus  a  more  intense  interest  in  the  subject,  is  created  than 
by  extemporaneous    preaching;  hence  the  nearer   a   translation 
approaches  to  the  colloquial  style  of  writing,  the  more  easily  will 
passages  of  holy  writ  be  retained  on  the  memory. 

The  Chinese  word  fuh,  which  I  have  rendered   "belly," — ^for 
nin^^  derived  from  nito — i*  so  far  in  accordance  with  the  Hebrew 

root,  that  it  originally  means  *'  to  surround  and  embrace  much  that 
is  important."  It  also  signifies  the  seat  of  the  mind  and  aflections, 
what  is  dear  and  valuable ;  hence  sin  fuh  chejin^  **  a  heart  and 
belly's  man,"  is  '^  a  very  dear  and  intimate  friend."  This  ugnifica- 
tion,  compared  with  Buxtorf  's  translation  of  the  Hebrew  text — jire- 
cordia — will  show  its  great  propriety,  as  well  as  afford  an  illustration 
of  the  affinity  subsisting  between  many  Chinese  and  Hebrew  terms. 
As  a  further  illustration  of  this  division  of  our  subject,  a  part  €i 
the  44th  ch.  Isaiah,  from  the  8th  verse,  is  selected  :    "  You  do  not 

(yf^  WUh,  a  negative  used  only  in  the  imperative  form)  fear,  and  do 
not  be  alarmed.  I  how  not  from  the  beginning,  and  admonished 
you  to  know  (i.  e.  made  known  or  revealed),  and  I  have  before  de- 
clared it  }  Also  ye  are  my  witnesses.  Me  beside  have  there  any 
God  ?  (i.  e,  is  there  any  God  ?  &c.) ;  indeed  there  is  no  protector. 
(Heb.  rock.)  I  have  not  known  any.  All  who  fashion  the  likeness 
of  an  engraven  god,  are  all  of  them  vanity,  and  their  most  skilful 
work  is  altogether  indeed  without  profit ;  indeed  their  work  of  eveiy 
kind  (each  work)  is  itself  for  a  witness  that  they  look  without  seeing, 
also  are  not  able  to  understand ;  that  every  one  forming  a  god,  or 
melting  a  graven  image,  which  is  a  profitless  thing,  may  be,  indeed, 
ashamed.**  (Bishop  Lowth,  whom  Dr.  Boothroyd  has  followed,  is 
imitated  here  also,  in  connecting  sew  che^  *'  ashamed,"  with  the  10th 


DB.    MORRISONS    LITERARY   LABOURS. 


65 


instead  of  the  9tli  vene-^  Behold  hb  each  companion  (i.  e.  all  hii 
associates)  stiull  he  ashamed.  'X'lie  workmen  alsa  shall  be 
ashamed.  Let  them  (or  thef  shall)  all  be  gathered  together,  and 
themselves  stand  up,  then  they  BhoU  eat  fear  (be  struck  with  alarm), 
and  tDgetlier  he  ashamed.  The  artificer  in  iron  cutteth  of  a  piece 
of  iron;  he  with  coals  and  worheth  it,  and  with  bammera  fashioneth 
it ;  he  useth  the  strength  of  his  arms,  and  beateth  it:  yea  he  is 
hungry,  then  his  strength  faileth ;  and  he  driuketh  no  water,  and 
he  is  then  exhausted.  The  carpente*  strctcheth  out  his  measure 
(cubit  and  tenth) ;  he  uaeth  his  red  lend,  and  marketh  it  out  in 
form ;  he  with  a  sharp  instrument  beweth  or  cutteth  it ;  he 
with  the  compass  marketh  it,  and  fashioneth  it  according  to 
s  man's  likeness  —  according  to  the  l>cautiful  form  of  a  human 
being — that  it  may  be  preserved,  set  up  in  the  house  within.  He, 
for  his  own  use  beweth  down  cedars  ;  he  taketh  the  pine,  together 
with  the  oak,  and  much  collects  together  of  every  tree  of  the 
forest ;  he  plants  the  ash  tree,  and  tbe  rain  descends  to  nourish  it, 
so  that  men  may  use  it  for  fuel,  and  he  by  it  himself  taketh 
warmth;  be  takes  it,  and  causes  it  to  heat  his  furnace,  and  bake 
bread  (or  cakes) ;  he  also  maketh  it  a  god  and  worahjppeth  it  ;  he 
moketb  it  a  graven  image,  and  kneelcth  down  towards  it.  He 
tiseth  one  port  for  burning  in  the  fire  ;  he  useth  another  pait  for 
roastin;^  flesh,  and  eateth  It ;  he  roastetb  flesh,  and  his  hunger 
is  satisfied.  lie  also  warmeth  himBelf,  and  says,  Well  !  I  am  warmed, 
I  have  enjoyed  the  fire ;  and  Uc  useth  the  rest  of  the  wood  and 
himself  maketh  a  god  of  it;  even  his  graven  image;  hij  then  to- 
wards it  kneels  down  and  worships  it,  and  coDfesgeB,  praying  unto 
it,  and  says  ;  '  Save  me,  for  thou  art  my  god.*  And  ihey  do  not 
know,  and  do  not  understand  ;  truly,  indeed,  their  eyes  are  shut 
tiial  they  cannot  see,  and  their  hearts  are  stopped  tlmt  they 
cannot  correctly  understand.  And  they  da  not  in  their  heart  con- 
sider, and,  moreover,  have  not  understanding  or  wisdom  to  say  : 
I  huve  taken  the  one  pari,  and  in  the  die  bume>I  it;  1  have  on  the 
coah,  and  baked  cakes ;  I  have  used  for  roasting  flesb,  which  I 
bave  eaten ;  and  bow  can  1  use  tbe  remainder  of  the  wood  for 
making  a  hateful  thing.  I,  how  kneel  down  and  worship  a  tree's 
body  or  trunk  (^  Shin,  meaning  both  the  human  body  and  the 
trunk  of  a  tree)?  Now  that  which  he  eats  in  ashes.  His  heart  in 
deceived,  leading  him  into  error,  so  that  he  is  unable  himiclf  to 
save  hia  own  soul,  or  hiniMlf  to  say,  ■'  In  my  right  h^nd  how  not 
have  a  falsehood  !" 

The  whole  of  this  striking  reiirei^nlatiim  uf  idolatry,  so  dc*crip- 


66  CRITICAL   NOTICES   OF 

tive  of  the  Chiaese,  would  be  intelligible  to  them  in  an  almost 
literal  translation,  especially  as  the  style  of  writing  is  a  good  deal  in 
the  Chinese  mode,  and  may  be  selected  as  one  of  the  instances  in 
which  the  Eastern  character  of  the  Bible  tends  to  &cilitate  the  labours 
of  the  translator.  For  similar  reasons  the  remaining  portion  of  the 
chi^ter,  had  we  room  to  transcribe  it,  would  be  equally  satis&ctory. 
The  passages  which  contain  the  Prophet's  apostrophe  to  the  heavens 
and  the  earth,  though  less  in  accordance  with  Chinese  tastes,  cannot 
but,  from  the  sublimity  of  the  sentiments,  powerfully  affect  the 
reader's  mind  and  heart.  I  need  scarcely  add,  that  such  a  portion 
of  divine  truth  is  rendered  in  suitable  language  and  style  by  Dr. 
Morrison. 

For  the  purpose  of  illustrating  the  prophetic  style,  parts  of  the 

1 1th  chapter  of  Daniel,  and  of  the  55th  of  Isaiah,  are  selected.  Hie 

1 1th  chapter  of  Daniel  begins,  ''  And  in  Media's  Darius'  first  year, 

I,  even  I,  will  arise  to  strengthen  and  establish  him.     And  now 

I  am  about  to  reveal  to  thee  to  know  the  truth.     Behold !  in 

Persia  shall  stand  up  three  kings,  and  the  fourth  shall  be  rich, 

much  excelling  them  all.    And  because  of  his  strength  (and)  his 

riches,  then  shall  he  cause  and  excite  all  to  rise  and  attack  Grecia'g 

kingdom.    And  there  shall  be  a  powerful  king  established,  with 

great  authority  to  rule  and  to  act  according  to  his  own  ideas  (or 

notions).     And  after  he  stands  up,  then  his  kingdom  shall  be 

broken  and  divided  to  heaven's  each  wind  towards,  and  not  to  him 

to  give  to  his  posterity,  and  not  according  to  his  government's 

power  divide  it.     For  his  kingdom  shall  be  eradicated,  even  on 

account  of  (those)    besides  these  multitudes.      And   the   sonth'a 

king  shall  be  strong,  and  one  of  his  princes  shall  overcome  in 

might,  and  obtain  power,  and  his  power  shall  be  great  power. 

And  in  these  each  year's  end,  they  two  shall  mutually  unite;  for 
the  south's  king's  daughter  shall  come  to  the  north  king  to  form 
affinity  (or  alliance),  but  the  woman  shall  not  obtain  to  preserve 
(her)  arm's  power  (i.  e.  the  power  of  her  arm  shall  not  be  continued 
to  her) ;  that  king  also  shall  not  obtai6  to  preserve,  and  to  make 
stand  (or  establish)  his  arm  also,  but  the  woman  shall  be  given  up, 
following  those  who  brought  her,  and  she  that  which  brought 
forth  (he  whom  she  brought  forth),  and  he  in  that  time  who  sup- 
ported her."  [It  should  be  remarked  that,  in  the  absence  of  gender 
from  the  Chinese  language,  perspicuity  requires  the  noun  to  be  re- 
peated, where,  in  other  languages,  the  pronoun  would  be  sufficient, 
as  the  word  **  woman"  in  the  preceding  and  following  verses.] 
"  But  from  the  woman's  roots  branch  shall  have  one  person  come 
forth,  for  him  to  establish  authority.     And  he  shall  take  an  army, 


r 


DR.    UOHRISOMS    LITERARY    tABOlTRS. 


67 


I 


and  come,  and  shall  enter  into  the  north  king's  citadel,  attack  it, 
and  conquer  it.  And  he  shall  carry  away  captive  their  each  god 
(each  before  a  ooiin  is  equivalent  to  the  plural),  their  each  prince 
(She-tsze,  Bonaof  the  age),  their  silver  (and)  gold's  each  precious 
vessel,  all  to  enter  Egypt,  and  he,  compared  with  the  king  of  the 
north,  shall  be  preserved  many  years  (i.  c.  a  greater  number  of 
'yeare).  According  to  this  (or  thus)  the  southern  border's  king 
«ba1l enter  into  his  own  country,  and  return  to  hia  ovm  land.'' 

There  is  a  greater  number  of  inversions  in  the  phraseology  of  this 
passage  than  in  some  preceding  ones,  the  strncturo  of  which  is  also 
more  involved,  arising  from  the  greater  length  of  the  sentences,  from 
many  of  the  circumstances  being  future,  and  from  the  Chinese  idioms 
being  exactly  the  converse  of  those  of  the  Hebrew.  In  such  phrases  as 
"south's  king's  daughter,"  for  '*  the  king's  daughter  of  the  south  ;'" 
"  shall  not  obtian  to  preserve  her  arm's  power,"  for  "  shall  not  re- 
tain the  power  of  the  arm."  These  portions  of  the  word  of  God 
are  among  the  most  difficult  to  a  translator,  especially  where  learned 
Hebreeans  and  critics  have  disagreed  as  to  the  proper  mode  of  rea- 
dering  peculiar  passages.  This  specimen  illustrates  the  fact  that 
Doctor  Morrison  hag  usually  adhered  to  the  sense  expressed  by  the 
English  version  in  disputed  passages.  The  following  selections 
from  the  5$th  chapter  of  Isaiah,  shall  conclude  this  subject  of  pro- 
phecy. "  You  all  that  thirst  who  !  Oh  ibeu  come  lo  where  there 
are  abounding  waters  ;  and  you  no  money  who,  then  come  huy  and 
eat ;  even  come  and  take  wine  and  take  milk  without  money  and 
buy ;  without  price,  and  obtain  it  You  on  what  accoimt,  for  no 
provisions  and  weigh  out  your  money  (ehtnff,  corresponding  lo 
TJpB'jn),  and  for  not  able  to  cause  satisfaction's  thinga,  and  send 
tiut  your  wealth  (or  substance)  f  Diligently  listen  to  and  hear  me, 
and  then  eat  (or,  your  food)  truly  is  good,  and  then  cause  your  soul 
to  delight  in  things  of  rich  or  tat  taste.  Apply  your  ears  and  then 
come  to  me  (tseih  and  tsih  '  then,*  are  often  mere  expletives,  used 
&r  the  sake  of  euphony),  and  diligently  hearken,  and  then  cause 
your  soul  to  obtain  life  ;  and  I  will  with  you  set  up  an  everlasting 
covenant,  and  take  the  eternal  unfailing  gracious  promise  which  was 
truly  given  to  David,  and  will  give  it  to  you.  Behold !  I  have 
taken  him  for  a  witness,  and  given  him  to  each  tribe,  and  taken  htm 
for  a  leader  and  commander,  togivehim  toall  nations.  [The  phrase 
lake  anil  ffive,  is  the  common  Chinese  idiom  for  imparting  or  be- 
stowing.] Now  thou  hitherto  which  not  known  of  nations  (i.e. 
nations  that  thou  knowest  not)  thou  shult  call  them  ;  and  hitherta 
aot  yetkuown  tbe«  of  nations  (i.  c,  nations  that  know  not  thee),  shall 


68  CRITICAL    NOTICES    OF 

run  indeed  into  thee,  because  of  affection*  for  the  Divine  Lord  thy 
God,  and  because  of  Israel's  Holy  One,  for  He  bath  glorified  thee. 
"  Grod  the  Lord,"  or  **  the  Divine  Lord,"  still  may  be  met  with 
and  sought's  time  (i.  d.  while  he  may,  &c.)  you  to  him  seek ;  and 
he  still  near's  time  you  look  to  and  pray  to  him  (or  invoke  him). 
Those  who  are  wicked,  it  is  incumbent  on  them  to  forsake  their 
former  ways,  and  those  who  are  righteous  to  forsake  their  hitherto 
cherished  thoughts,  and  then  (or  immediately)  return  to  the  Lord ; 
for  he  willingly  with  compassion  (will)  receive  him,  and  unto  our 
God,  for  he  abundantly  dispenses  pardon.    For  the  Lord  says.  My 
thoughts  are  not  your  thoughts,  and  my  ways  are  not  your  ways ; 
for  as  heaven  is  higher  than  the  earth,  in  this  manner  my  ways 
(are)  higher  than  your  ways,  and  my  thoughts  higher  than  your 
thoughts." 

This  portion  of  Isaiah's  writings  is  selected,  not  so  much  to  ex- 
hibit the  style  of  prophetic  poetry,  since  the  34th  would  have  suited 
that  purpose  better,  as  to  show  the  christian  reader  how  the  Evan- 
gelical truths  it  contains  are  represented  in  Chinese.  An  idiom 
will  at  once  be  discovered  totally  dissimilar  to  the  English,  while 
such  expressions  as — ^*  those  who  are  wicked,  it  is  incumbent  on 
them  to  forsake  their  wicked  ways" — for  "  let  the  wicked,"  kc. — 
may  require  explanation.  The  absence  of  all  verbal  inflections  or 
variations  from  the  Chinese  language  must  be  supplied,  when  mode, 
time,  or  circumstance  requires  to  be  pointed  out,  by  adding  appro- 
propriate  words  or  phrases,  of  which  a  number  will  be  found  suffi- 
ficient  for  all  practical  purposes,  though  far  smaller  than  a  Greek 
or  Latin  scholar  might,  d  prioriy  suppose  to  be  necessary.     In  this 

verse  the  imperative  mood  is  rendered  by  the  character  ^S*  E, 
"  it  is  incumbent  on,"  or  *«  proper  for,"  importing  "  obligation, 
necessity,"  &c.  The  Chinese  have  also  the  phrase  dq  ^  Yef9 
tih,  which  may  be  translated  **  Let ;"  but  as  it  implies  permis- 
sion, not  injunction — it  would  manifestly  be  improper  in  this 
place.  The  apparent  wordiness  of  the  translation  must  be  attri- 
buted to  the  fidelity  of  the  translator,  and  not  to  the  general  re- 
quirements of  Chinese  style.  Were  it  attempted  to  approximate 
the  sense  of  the  original,  without  regard  to  close  translation,  both 
freedom  and  conciseness  might  be  attained  in  a  much  greater 

•  Moo,  ''affection  for,"  or  "ardent  desire  after,"  has  no  corresponding 
word  in  the  Hebrew :  it  is  inserted  most  probably  to  supply  what  might 
be  considered  an  ellipsis  in  Chinese  without  it,  or  some  synonymous 
term. 


ORBISON  S    LITERARY   LABOURS. 


09 


r degree;    but  the  difficulty  lies  in  attributiDg  to  each  writer  his 
characteristic   made  of   composition,  without  violating  Chinese 

The  difference  between  the  didactic  and  the  prophetic  style  of 
writing,  will  sufficieniiy  appear  from  specimens  of  the  former,  taken 
from  tlie  hook  of  Proverba  and  the  Gospel  of  Matthew.  The  first 
is  part  of  the  4th  chapter  of  Proverbs. 

"  You  all  children  listen  to  a  father's  exhortations,  and  diligently 
hearken  for  the  purpose  of  attaining  to  know  understanding.     For 

II  take  virtuous  instruction  (and)  give  to  you  ;  then  do  not  forsake 
my  laws.  For  I  am  au  own  father's  son,  and  in  my  mother's  eyes 
before  was  ardently  beloved.  And  she  then  taught  me  and  spoke 
to  me  saying,  '  thy  heart  ought  to  preserve  (or  let  thy  heart  and) 
my  each  word,  and  keep  (guard)  my  each  precept,  and  then  obtain 
life.  Thou  oughtett  to  obtain  wisdom,  and  to  obtain  understanding 
I  do  not  forget  it,  and  do  not  depart  from  my  mouth  each  word. 
Do  not  Forsake  wisdom,  then  it  shall  protect  thee ;  and  love  it,  then 
it  shall  preserve  thee.  Wisdom  is  most  important,  therefore  thou 
onghtest  to  obtain  wisdom,  and  thou  whatever  that  which  obtainest 
at'  every  thing's  midst  (i.  e.  amidst  all  that  thou  acquireat)  thou 
oughtest  to  acquire  wisdom  (the  same  word  e  is  used  for  the  im- 
perative, which  I  have  previously  explained).  Exalt  wisdom,  and 
she  then  shall  cause  thee  to  obtain  promotion.  And  thou  em- 
bracing her  period  (i.  e.  when  thou  embracest  her),  she  shall  cause 
e  to  obtain  glory.  She  shall  give  thy  head  to  obtain  a  beautiful 
ornament  (or  an  ornament  of  beauty).  And  she  shall  take  glory'g 
crown  (a  crown  of  gloty),  and  bestow  it  upon  thee.  1  need 
ecarcely  remark  how  perspicnoiis  these  detached  sentences  are  in 
Ibe  Chinese  translation,  compared  with  long  and  involved  periods. 
The  terms  used  to  denote  understanding,  moral  virtue,  command- 
ments, and  precepts,  are  aiso  well  known  to  the  student  of  Chinese 
ethical  writers.  The  next  specimen  is  from  the  6lh  chapter  of 
Matthew.  "Be  careful  that  you  do  not  alms  (or bestow  charity)  in 
s  jiresence,  desiring  Lo  be  seen  by  them  (or  to  obtain  them  see), 
not  so  (otherwise)  you  not  obtain  your  Father  in  heaven's  any  re- 
ward. Tberefore  you  doing  alms  time,  do  not  blow  a  trumpet  face 
■,  OS  persous  of  pretended  (or  false)  virtue  (hypocrites)  do  in 
public  places  and  market  places,  so  that  they  obtain  glory  of  men. 
I  certainly  speak  to  you  to  know  (i.  c.  I  assuredly  declare  to  you) 
they  have  received  their  reward.  But  yon,  when  you  bestow 
not  cause  left  hand  to  know  right  hand  that  which  does; 
r  alms  may  be  secret,  and  your  Father  who  seeth  secret 


70  CRITICAL   NOTICES  OF 

things  (shall)  himself  openly  reward  you.  And  you  praying  time 
do  not  be  like  persons  of  pretended  virtues,  for  they  rejoice  in 
public  places,  and  at  street  comers,  and  pray,  so  that  they  may 
obtain  men  to  see  them.  I  hereby  declqre  to  you  to  know  they 
have  received  their  reward ;  but  you  praying  time  enter  your  little 
room  within,  and  shut  the  door  after  (i.  e.  after  the  door  is  ^ut), 
pray  to  your  Father  who  is  in  secret ;  thus  your  Father  who  seedi 
in  secret,  shall  openly  reward  you.  And  your  praying  time  do 
not  use  vain,  tautological  words,  as  the  gentiles  (or  as  all  the 
nations)  for  they  think  on  account  of  much  speaking  (or  many 
words),  and  obtain  a  hearing  (or  a  favourable  hearing)." 

Of  this  extract  it  wUl  be  sufficient  to  remark  that  the  words  are 
well  chosen,  the  style  is  perspicuous,  and  the  translation  faithful. 

The  only  remaining  kind  of  composition  to  be  noticed  is  the 
narrative^  which  abounds'  in  Holy  Scripture.  Many  parts  of  the 
Old  Testament  supply  specimens,  but  it  will  not  be  necessary 
to  adduce  them.  The  nairatives  of  eminent  personages  in  the 
books  of  the  Kings,  very  much  resemble  the  Chinese  style,  which 
admits  of  interlocutory  speaking  to  great  extent,  and  introduces 
individuals  to  relate  their  own  stories  in  the  manner  of  the  Hebrews. 
But  it  will  be  more  agreeable  to  the  design  of  this  paper  to  quote 
some  passages  from  the  New  Testament,  which  relate  occurreacea 
in  the  history  of  the  Saviour — such  as  the  transfiguration,  narrated 
by  Matthew,  chapter  18th,  verse  1st:  '' And  six  days  after  Jesus 
brought  Pei-to-lo,  Chay-rae-sze,  and  Jo-han  (Peter,  James,  and 
John),  his  brother,  and  led  them  secretly  to  ascend  a  high  moun- 
tain, and  in  their  presence  before  he  underwent  a  transformation, 
so  that  his  face  shone  as  the  sun  (or  was  **  splendid,**  ^*  glorious,*' 
'*  light,  like  the  sun"),  and  behold  Moses  and  Elijah  appeared 
(or  were  manifested)  with  Jesus  speaking  time  (i.  e.  when  Mo- 
ses, &c.),  Peter  spake  to  Jesus  saying,  *'  Lord,  we  here  are  well 
(or  it  is  good),  if  thou  art  willing  we  will  immediately  set  up  three 
tents— one  for  thee,  one  for  Moses,  one  for  Elias — he  speak- 
ing*s  period  (while  he  was  speaking),  behold  have  a  bright  cloud 
overshadowing  them,  and  have  a  voice  from  the  cloud  proceeding, 
saying,  ''This  is  my  beloved  son,  I  that  which  delight  in,  you 
hear  him.  The  disciples  at  this  time  immediately  fell  prostrate, 
and  (were)  greatly  alarmed.  And  Jesus  came  and  touched  them 
saying,  *  You  arise,  do  not  fear.'  When  they  raised  their  eyes,  then 
besides  Jesus  did  not  see  any  man.  While  they  were  descending  the 
hill,  Jesus  commanded  them  saying,  do  not  acquaint  any  man  with 
what  you  have  seen,  until  man's  Son  from  the  dead's  midst  again 
live  (i.  e.  be  raised  from  the  dead)."    The  doctrine  of  the  resurrec- 


DR.    MOltRtSONS   LITERARY    LABUUR3. 


71 


I 


I 


tion  U  necessarily  unknown  to  the  Chinese,  who  know  not  tha 
ScriptureB,  nor  the  power  of  God ;  but  the  expreseioua  here  used 
are  admirably  adapted  to  convey  the  idea  of  future  hfe  to  the 
body  after  it  liad  been  coQimitteij  to  the  tomb.  Indeed  I  know 
not  by  what  terms  the  doctrine  could  be  better  explained,  in  any 
language,  than  tliose  which  should  be  equivalent  to  the  Chinese 
words  "  the  dead  again  live"  (i.  e.  live  again).  ^  ^  ^  j^ 
It  may  be  remarked,  in  conclusion,  that  the  style  of  the  Evangelists 
approaches  more  to  the  colloquial  medium  than  perhnps  any  other 
portion  of  Scripture,  arising  from  the  circumstance  of  their  being 
the  records  of  the  sayings  and  doings,  the  conferences  and  couvcr- 
aations  of  individuals;  but  while  this  makes  the  style  more  fomUiar, 
it  renders  it  also  more  encumbered.  Pronouns  are  especially  very 
numerous,  and  cannot  but  disfigure  the  com{>osition  in  the  esti- 
mation of  a  Chinese  in  such  phrases  as  Yay-soo  ta  e  tfing  yue, 
"Jesusanaweredthemsaying,"  when  the  phrase  with  ^  (Mn^"them," 
omitted,  would  be  equally  intelligible. 

I  have  entered  minutely  into  the  subject  of  the  Chinese  transla- 
tion, because  such  a  work  must  affect  the  destinies  of  many  hundred 
millions  of  our  race;  and  because  the  question  of  superseding  it  by 
another  on  different  principles,  has  been  recently  agitated.  With 
regard,  therefore,  to  the  merits  or  defects  of  an  agency  describing  so 
large  a  sphere  of  influence,  it  is  desirable  to  elicit  the  opinions  of 
competent  Chinese  scholatB,  whose  mors],  mental,  and  acquired 
habits,  furnish  presumptive  evidence  of  their  ability  to  form  an  un- 
biassed judgment,  which  cannot  be  expected  from  those,  who  have 
had  no  opportunity  of  studying  the  language  under  the  direction  of 
learned  natives,  or  who  are  unacquainted  with  the  received  principles 
of  Biblical  criticism,  or  who  assume  authority  to  condemn  the  trans. 
talor,  simply  because  his  views  and  theirs  did  not  coincide  on 
points  of  ecclesiastical  order  and  discipline.  Curing  Mr.  Med- 
hurst*B  recent  sojourn  in  England,  he  laid  before  the  Bible  Society 
propoasla  for  a  new  Translation  of  the  Scriptures  into  Chinese;  to 
which  he  added  an  Appendix,  comprising  Dr.  Morrison's  version, 
and  his  own,  of  the  first  chapters  of  Luke  and  Colossians,  translated 
into  literal  English,  and  arranged  in  parallel  columns.  Of  the 
merits  of  these  comparative  specimens,  the  writer  was  requested  by 
the  Committee  to  state  his  opinion,  as  well  as  to  offer  any  other 
suggestions  appropriate  to  the  subject.  His  remarks,  together  with 
Mr.  Medhurst'a  memorial,  were  printed  for  private  circulation 
among  the  directors  of  the  Bible  and  London  Missionary  Societies, 
who,  after  mature  deliberation,  determined  not  to  adopt  the  "  New 
Version."     No  notice  would  have  been  taken  of  this  procecdiug 


72  CRITICAL   NOTICES   OF 

here,  had  not  Mr.  Medhurst,  in  hb  work  entitled  **  China,  its  State, 
and  Prospects,"    quoted,    from  my  pamphlet,  what  was  said  on 
the  defects  of  Dr.  Morrison's  translation,  without  any  allusion  to 
the  context,  which  was  absolutely  necessary  to  a  correct  under- 
standing of  the  paragraph.      My  plan  in  *'  Remarks   on  the  Me- 
morial," embraced  its  principal  topics  with  a  view  to  show  their 
incorrectness.     (1.)  Principles  of  Translation.      (2.)  Alleged  De- 
fects in  Morrison's,  and  Superiority  of  the  New  Version.     (3.)  De- 
ficiencies of  the  Original  7i*&<^slators.      (4.)  Qualifications  of  the 
Authors  of  the  New  Version.*    (5.)  Difficulties  of  translating  the 
Scriptures,  arising  from  the  genius  of  the  Chinese  Language,  and  its 
supposed  contrariety  to  the  Hebrew  idiom ;  and,  (6.)  Concluding 
miscellaneous  remarks.    It  is  firomthe  fourthj>articular  Mr.  M.  has 
made  the  quotation  of  which  I  complain.    After  referring  to  one  or 
two  matters  of  fact  that  required  explanation,  the  writer  on  the 
**  Memorial,"  proceeds — **  I  am  of  opinion  the  New  Version,  both 
as  a  literary  production  and  as  a  translation,  is  a  complete  failure,  if 
the  specimen  in  the  Appendix,  and  the  philological  remarks  inter- 
spersed through  the  Memorial,  be  a  fair  representation  of  the  whole. 
Its  inconsistencies,  pointed  out  in  the  Appendix  to  this  statement, 
are  numerous,  condemning  expressions  in  the  old  version  (Mor- 
rison's), which  are  used  in  other  places  in  the  new  (Medhursf  s), 
under  exactly  similar  circumstances.     It  is  not  a  translation  of 
God's  word,  nor  is  it,  in  many  respects,  good  Chinese.     Natives 
who  read  it  may  derive  meaning  from  it,  but  not  that  which  the 
Scriptures  teach.     It  is  far  inferior  to  the  old  version,  as  a  repre- 
sentation of  Holy  Scripture ;  and  since  it  is  the  production  of  su- 
perior advantages,  and  of  later  years,  its  merits  sink  far  below  its 
pretensions."     [Then  follows  the  passage  Mr.  Medhurst  quoted.] 
''  But  are  there  no  defects  in  the  old  version  ?    Were  I  to  assert 
this,  I  should  excite  immixed  wonder,  since  it  is  a  first  version  in 
a  difficult  language,  and  must  needs  be  susceptible  of  much  im- 
provement.    Its  chief  imperfections  are,  perhaps  {perhaps  omitted 
by  Mr.  Medhurst),  a  too  literal  adherence  to  the  order  of  the  ori- 
ginal, where  equal  faithfulness  might  be  secured  by  a  more  idio- 
matic disposition  of  the  words,  and  also  inattention  to  some  minutiae 
in  arranging  antithetic  words  and  phrases,  to  which  the  Chinese 
attach  great  importance.     Sometimes  by  omitting,  sometimes  by 
supplying  a  word  or  two,  the  euphony  of  a  sentence  could  be  im- 
proved without  impairing  its  fidelity  to  the  original.*'    This  is  the 
whole  of  the  quotation,  except,  "  &c.,  &c.,"  which  intimate  that 

*  The  Rev.  Mr.  Gutzlaff  and  others  in  China,  were  associated  with 
Mr.  Medhurst  in  the  work. 


r 


DR    MOHRISON  3    UTEHARY    LABUDRS. 


otliiT  matter,  in  a  similar  strain,  might  be  added.  It  behoves  me, 
theiefore,  to  give  the  remainder  of  thp  paragraph,  which  is — "  Fewer 
characters,  in  some  proper  names,  should  hare  been  originally 
used.  The  general  phraseology  is  exceedingly  good ;  and  words 
are  well  chosen,  so  far  as  I  have  examined  ibe  Scriptures,  which, 
when  at  Malacca,  we  readdaily  in  the  college,  expounding  parti- 
cular hooks  on  tlie  Sabbath,  of  which,  I  may  mentioa ,  the  Psalms, 
Bomans,  the  Gospels,  and  the  Acts;  besides  superintending,  with 
an  inconsiderable  exception,  the  entire  printing  of  the  last  edition. 
1  did  not  scrutinize  the  translation  for  the  purpose  ol'  testing  its 
merits  ;  but  reading  it  for  other  purposes,  I  was  indirectly  supplied 
with  the  means  of  judging.  With  a  judicious  appUcation  of  sound 
Biblical  criticism,  a  correct  knowledge  of  Chinese  and  of  the  ori- 
ginal languages,  improvements  might,  no  doubt,  be  effected  to 
•ome  extent,  more  especially  in  the  Old  Testament ;  but  I  should 
be  sorry  to  see  the  principle  adopted  in  the  new  version,  applied 
even  to  the  revision  of  it." 

If  Mr.  Medhurst  thought  it  advisable  to  quote  my  opinions  at 
all,  he  should  not  have  dissevered  them  from  their  original  con- 
nection ;  still  less  should  he  have  made  sentences,  thus  Isolated, 
subserve  a  different  object  from  that  which  the  author  had  ia 
view.  Whatever  value  may  be  attached  to  the  concession,  with 
r^;ard  to  the  defects  of  Dr.  Morrison's  translation,  I  am  not  dis- 
posed to  diminish  it;  nor,  >n  the  oUier  hand,  do  1  wish  what  I 
have  said  of  its  excellencies,  and  of  the  comparative  inferiority  of 
the  New  Version,  to  be  received  with  less  confidence. 

Mr.  Medhurst  has  also  introduced  into  his  work  the  opinions  of 
three  Chinese  ^on  Dr.  Morrison's  translation.  Leang  Alii,  one  of 
the  oldest  converts,  whose  style  of  writing  is  far  from  being  ele- 
gant; and  who,  though  a  good  man,  is  not  sufficiently  skilled  in 
Biblical  criticism  to  be  much  authority  in  a  translation  of  the  Scrip, 
tures.  OrLcwTse-chuen,  I  have  no  knowledge  personally,  or  from 
his  writings.  Choo.tih.lang  is  a  transcriber,  who  accompanied 
Mr.  Medhurst  to  England,  to  assist  in  copying  out  the  new  version 
of  the  Scriptures  for  the  press.  Their  unitetl  testimony  amounts  to 
this— that  there  are  in  Dr.  Morrison's  version  of  the  Scriptures — 
redundant  particles — inverted  exjiressions — unidiomalic  phrases, 
and  tautologies,  which  render  the  meaning  obscure.  To  whom  it 
might  be  sufficient  to  reply,  tluit  many  of  what  are  styled  "redun- 
dancies and  tautologies,"  are,  probably,  expressions  which  a  faithful 
translator  could  not  avoid.  It  is  evident  they  retjuire  the  Sacred 
Scriptures  to  be  assimilated  to  their  own  classical  books,  which 
they  consider  u  perfect  modeb,  and  that  they  would  be  disap- 


74  CRITICAL    NOTICES   OF 

pointed  in  any  translation  not  conformed  to  them  in  doctrine  as 
well  as  style.     Choo-tih-lang's  remarks  are  rather  amusing.     **  It 
ought  to  be  known,"  he  says,  **  that  in  the  Chinese,  phrases  have 
a  certain  order,  and  characters  a  definite  application,  which  cannot 
be  departed  from  with  propriety.     In  order  to  illustrate  offences 
against  idiom,  it  may  be  observed  that  the  Chinese  are  accustomed 
to  say,  **  You  with  me  come  along !'  while  the  English  say»  '  You 
come  along  with  me.*     A  piece  of  valuable  information  truly! 
Surely,  whatever  ignorance  a  Chinaman's  vanity  and  self-compla- 
cency might  lead  him  to  impute  to  Dr.  Morrison,  Mr.  Medhnrst 
could  hardly  be  serious  in  assuming,  as  he  does  by  this  quotation, 
that  the  Doctor  did  not  know  how  to  express,  in  good  Chinese, 
*'You  and  I  go  together!"    It  is  indeed  surprising,  since  it  is 
well  known  how  much  circumstances  modify  Chinese  opinions,  that 
Mr.  Medhurst  should  lay  any  stress  upon  the  kind  of  testimony  he 
has  adduced. 

I  must  now  take  my  leave  of  the  subject,  with  the  humble  hope 
that  I  have  given  a  just  impression  of  the  character  of  Dr.  Mor- 
rison's version,  so  far  as  it  is  practicable  under  the  circumstances ; 
my  great  object  having  been  to  let  the  work  speak  for  itself,  and  to 
put  the  reader,  unacquainted  with  Chinese,  in  possession  o£  its 
idioms  and  peculiar  modes  of  speech. 

The  smaller  works^of  Dr.  Morrison,  referred  to  in  my  Third  Di- 
vision, were  based  on  the  principle  which  experience  has  hitherto 
approved  ;  that  to  a  people  so  ntmierous,  so  exclusive,  so  generally 
capable  of  reading,  whose  spoken  language  is  so  diversified,  while 
the  written  character  is  one  and  imiversally  understood,  books 
adapted  to  elucidate  the  doctrines  of  Holy  Scripture,  and  enforce 
the  principles  of  morality  founded  thereon,  were  absolutely  neces- 
sary to  the  eminently  usefulness  of  the  first  missionaries.  This 
is  a  truth  alike  exemplified  in  the  history  of  the  Cathohc  and  Pro- 
testant churches. 

His  smaller  Philological  treatises  on  the  Chinese  language,  were 
all  of  a  useful  character ;  the  first  of  which  in  chronologicfd  order, 
is  the  Chinese  Grammar.  It  contains  many  very  usefiil  phrases, 
but  they  are  formed  to  represent  the  English  construction  too 
closely  to  admit,  in  all  cases,  of  rigid  adherence  to  Chinese  idiom. 
There  is  nothing  more  natural  to  a  foreigner,  in  his  earlier  studies, 
than  the  attempt  to  accommodate  the  Chinese  idioms  to  his  own ; 
and  to  find  out  corresponding  modes  of  representing  the  different 
times  at  which  an  action  may  have  been  performed,  the  various 
accidents  belonging  either  to  abstract  nouns,  or  to  the  names  of 
material  substances,  with  the  works  expressive  of  their  different 


r 


DR.    MORRldUN  9   LITERARY    LABOURS. 


I 
I 
I 

I 


qualities.  Circumstances,  marked  with  bo  much  precision  in  the 
classic  languages  of  Europe  are  not  unfrpqiiently.  in  Orienial 
tongues,  lelt  to  be  gathered  from  the  context  by  the  sagacity  and 
experience  of  the  reader.  Whatever  distinction  of  this  nature  ia 
required  in  Cliinese,  it  must  be  indicated  by  the  additioa  of  separate 
phrases ;  and  as  concise  anti-verbose  phraseology  is  peculiarly  ad- 
mired, such  qualifications  are  only  admitted  where  the  sense  would 
be  obscure  or  incomplete  without  them.  Morrison's  Chinese  Gram- 
mar, not  only  the  first  production  of  the  author,  but  the  first  in  the 
English  language,  on  Chinese  philology,  is  distinguished  for  its 
practical  chaxacter ;  and  thus  developes  the  design  he  had  early 
formed,  that  his  treatises  on  the  Chinese  language  should  not 
consist  in  general  disquisitions,  or  theoretical  speculations,  but  pre- 
eminently conduce  to  remove  difficulties  out  of  the  way  of  the 
laborious  student.  It  extends  to  280  quarto  pages,  and  is  arranged 
according  to  the  following  summary.  Remarks  on  the  peculiarities 
of  the  Chinese  language — the  Chinese  pronunciation — European 
orthography — Table  of  syllables — Tones — System  of  practising 
the  tones — Mode  of  writing  the  characters — Different  forms  of  the 
character — ^The  roots  of  all  the  words  in  the  language— Native 
Dictionaries — Punctuation — Nouns — Table  of  numerals — Particle 
chay  postfixed  to  nouns — Number — Case — Gender — Adjectives, 
positive,  comparative,  superlative — Numbers — Pronouns,  personal, 
possessive,  interrogative,  tiemonatrative,  relative,  distributive,  in- 
d  e  fi  ni  tei — Verba — A  d  verbs — P  repositions — Conj  unctions — I  nt  erj  ec- 
tions — identifying  Chinese  with  the  structure  of  European  lang^iBges. 
Then  follow  several  pages  on  the  provincial  pronunciation  of  Canton, 
and  on  the  Syntax  and  Prosody  of  the  general  language. 

A  considerable  portion  of  useful  knowledge  on  the  nature  and 
composition  of  the  Chinese  language  is  accumulated,  and  valuable 
suggestions  are  furnished  by  the  numerous  phrases,  for  the  Irani- 
lulion  of  native  writing  into  English,  and  the  contrary ;  but  the 
btter  division  of  the  work  is  not  founded  on  native  treatises  or 
native  practice,  but  consists  of  artificial  distinctions  created  in  ac- 
commodation to  European  Grammars,  of  which  the  Chinese  know 
nothing.  Their  language  is  so  extremely  artless  in  its  construction, 
that  after  an  acquaintance  with  the  radicals  on  page  28,  the  student 
may  forthwith  apply  himself  to  an  easy  book,  which,  with  the  assist- 
ance of  a  dictionary,  he  wilt  soon  be  able  to  understand — certainly  & 
much  less  formidable  task  than  that  of  committing  to  memory  the 
whole  of  an  elementary  treatise,  on  the  usual  principle  of  learning 
ancient  classical  languages,  before  he  can  proceed  to  exercise  himself 
in  trsnalation,  Nevertheleaa  much  valuable  knowledge,  indispensable 


76  CRITICAL   KOnCES   OF 

to  the  students  at  one  period  or  another  of  his  studies,  is  collected 
together  on  the  peculiar  structure  and  idioms  of  the  colloquial  lan- 
guage ;  chiefly  since,  as  the  author  remarks  at  the  conclusion  of  his 
work,  *'  the  preceding  phrases,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  sen- 
tences taken  from  books,  depend  for  their  accuracy  on  a  native 
of  good  parts,  who  has  taught  the  language  to  his  countrymen  for 
twenty  years."  Specimens  are  given  of  four  different  kinds  of 
verse— the  She — ^the  Poo— the  Tsze — and  the  Keiih — ^also  trans- 
lated from  the  original,  respecting  which,  the  learned  author  justly 
remarks,  '^  without  extensive  knowledge  of  their  ancient  history,  and 
the  customs  and  manners  of  the  country,  it  is  very  difficult  to  un- 
derstand their  poetical  compositions.  The  very  point  and  beauty  of 
the  piece  often  depend  on  some  slight  allusion,  which  a  foreigner 
does  not  perceive.  Added  to  that,  the  style  is  peculiarly  concise, 
and  unusual  words  are  introduced."  A  careful  perusal  of  this 
treatise,  for  the  purpose  of  depositing  Chinese  sentences  in  the 
memory,  cannot  but  be  exceedingly  useful  to  the  student,  as  he 
is  laboriously  seeking  a  perfect  acquaintance  with  the  language. 
This  treatise  was  writen  in  1811,  and  sent  to  the  Bengal  Govern- 
ment, at  whose  expense  it  was  printed,  by  the  Baptist  Missionaries 
at  Serampore,  in  1815.  The  title,  prefixed  to  the  work  in  Chinese 
characters,  literally  translated  is  "  General  Laws  for  using  the 
Chinese  Language.** 

The  next  literary  work  of  Dr.  Morrison,  is  entitled,  "  A  View 
of  China,  for  Philological  Purposes."  It  is  divided  into  the  follow- 
ing topics— Chronology — Geography — Government — ^Time — ^Festi- 
vals— Religion ;  which  'are  introduced  by  **  Remarks"  on  the  ne- 
cessity of  some  accompaniment  of  this  nature*  to  Dictionaries  and 
other  Treatises  on  the  Chinese  language,  'and  by  an  explanation 
of  the  Cycle  of  sixty  years,  which  the  Chinese  employ  in  their 
chronology;  by  associating  one  from  each  of  a  certain  number  of 
characters  called  "  Celestial  Stems,"  and  "  Terrestrial  branches,"  to 
indicate  the  year — thus  the  characters  he  hoe  denote  the  36  year 
(i.  e.  the  present  year)  of  the  75th  cycle.  It  was  invented  by 
Hwang-te.  Kea-tsze  the  first  character  of  each  stands  for  the  first 
year ;  and  there  being  six  times  ten,  and  five  times  twelve  in  sixty 
— kwei  hae — ^the  two  last  characters  in  each  stand  for  sixty.  The 
principle  is^founded  on  associating  two  characters  in  succession,  from 
one  to  sixty,  the  combinations  in  each  case  being  different.    The  plan 

•  There  are  ten  of  the  former  named  KeX,  yih,  ping,  ting,  woo,  ke,  k&ng, 
sin,  jin,  kwei ;  and  twelve  of  the  latter— Tsze,  chow,  yin,  maou,  shin,  sxe, 
woo,  we,  shin,  yew,  seuh,  hae. 


UR.    MORRISONS    LITERARY   LABOURS. 


77 


of  the  chronology,  adopted  by  Dr.  Momson,  ia  to  begin  at  thepreaeal 
period  and  oEcend  the  stream  of  time ;  because  he  thinks  it  the 
preferable  mode  of  arriving  at  corect  dates  i  whence  his  readere  are 
£rst  presented  with  a  chronological  table  of  the  Emperore  of  the 
present  dynasty,  beginning  with  Kca-king  in  1816,  A  list  is 
given  of  the  Emperors  who  reigned  in  each  dynasty,  with  the  titlei 
they  aeeume  (kw6  haou)  when  they  ascend  the  throne,  and  those 
Bteaou  haou),  which,  when  they  die,  are  written  on  a  tablet,  dedi- 
cated to  ihein,  in  the  temples  where  they  are  interred  ;  these  are 
exclusive  of  the  family  name.  The  chronological  table  is  from  a 
comparison  of  the  following  historical  works — one  by  the  celebrated 
commentator  on  the  four  books,  Choo-foo-tzse,  in  100  volumes  ; 
a  second  by  ■'  The  Twenty-one  Historians,  in  282  volumes ;  a 
third  by  Kung-chow,  in  34  volumes ;  and  from  a  table  of  the 
Cycles,  published  by  imperial  authority,  entitled  San-yuen-keS-tsKe  ; 
but  a  chronological  table  called  Leih-tai'ke-neen-peen>lan,  is 
that,  says  Dr.  Morrison,  which  is  here  followed.  Historical  no- 
tices, remarkable  occurrences,  or  striking  sentiments,  are  blended 
with  a  chronological  sur\ey  of  national  events  ;  and  to  render  these 
records  still  more  interesting  to  young  persons,  important  facts  from 
the  histories  of  other  narious,  are  placed  in  juxta-position  with  those 
taking  place  at  the  same  period  in  China. 

According  to  Dr.  Morrison's  plan,  the  present  imperial  family, 
which  is  the  Tartar  dynasty,  first  occupies  his  attention,  and  modern 
occurrences  take  precedence  of  those  which  are  more  ancient.  K  ea- 
king  was  the  reigning  P.mperor  (1816)  when  this  work  was  published. 
It  will  not  he  practjcahle  to  present  more  than  a  very  brief  outline  of 
this  work,  otherwise  mauy  interesting  and  instructive  passages  might 
be  Cjuoted,  illustrative  of  the  political  sentiments,  moral  maxims,  su- 
perstitious observances,  and  legendary  tales  of  the  Chinese.  Under 
this  dynasty  the  "  seven  great  grievances  are  enumerated,  to  revenge 
which  the  Tartars  subjugated  the  Chinese  Empire."  A  legend  is 
also  related  by  the  aid  of  which  their  traditionary  genealogy  ii 
carried  back  several  generations,  to  a  period  when  the  first  super- 
natural intimation  of  the  subsequent  glory  of  the  family  was  given 
at  Chang-pih-shan,  'the  long  white  mountain,'  sixty  miles  "high, 
on  whose  top  there  was  a  lake  twenty  miles  in  circumference  from 
which  issued  three  rivers,  where  it  was  proclaimed  by  a  superhiunan 
voice,  '  this  land  will  produce  a  holy  man,  who  shall  unite  in  one 
all  nations.' 

During  the  Ming  dynasty,  (the  last  Chinese  family),  the  Portu- 
guese arrived  at  Macao,  of  which  event  the  following  notice  is 


78  CRITICAL   NOTICES   I 

translated  by  Dr.  Morrison  firom  a  native  record  ^~-"  In  tkt  9U 
year  of  Kea-Uing  peuple,  in  foreign  vessels  came  to  Macao,  and 
affinned,  that  having  encountered  a  gale  of  wind,  the  shipa  were 
leaky,  and  the  articlea  of  tribute  had  become  wet  and  damp  ;  it  ww 
desired  that  Macao,  on  the  eea  coast,  mighi  be  allowed  them  to 
dry  their  goods.  IVan^-p'ih,  the  officer  on  the  coast,  permitteil 
it.  At  that  time  they  erected  merely  a  few  mat  sheds,  but  after- 
wards, trading  people  desirous  of  gain,  caused  to  be  brought  tbicber 
bricks,  tiles,  wood,  and  stone,  of  which  they  made  houaee.  The 
Franks  (a  general  term  for  Europeans),  thus  obtained  a  clandeUiae 
entrance.  European  foreigners  obtaining  a  residence  in  UacKO, 
originated  with  Wanff-p\h." 

The  successive  dynasties  of  the  Chinese  empire  traced  backwards, 
and  events  considered  of  importance  in  Chinese  history,  are  br^y 
noticed  with  the  periods  the  different  emperors  began  and  dosed 
their  reigns.  The  quotations  from  Dative  works  are  made  in  the 
Chinese  character,  to  the  great  assistance  of  the  native  student.  The 
following  dynasties  embrace  a  period  of  1830  years  from  b.c.  189,  to 
A.  c.  1643,  namely,  Yuen.  Sung,  Woo-tae  (five  dynasties  called  the 
Chow,  Han,  Tsin.Tang,  and  Leang,  with  the  word  "  latter'*  prefixed 
to  each).  Tang.  I.uh-Chaou,( six  dynasties — namely,  Wei,  Leang.Tse, 
Chin,  Chow,  Suy) .  San-kwfl  {three  kingdoms.  Wei,  Shuh,  and  Woo), 
Tung  Han,  Se  Han.  Tomh-stones  were  introduced  about  thb  period, 
(A.  D.  30).  '  Kecords,  engraved,  were  buried  in  the  tomb,'  ""Dtef 
narrated  or  extolled  the  virtues  of  the  deceased.  It  wa«  durinf  dw 
western  Han  dynasty,  in  the  reigns  of  Gae-te  and  Ching-te,  that 
the  Saviour  appeared  in  Judea,  The  nest  ia  the  Tsin  dynasty, 
wbicb  prevailed  over  six  other  nations  thai  contended  with  it  for 
the  supremacy.  The  Chow  dynasty  preceded,  whose  kings,  Dr.  M. 
remarks,  are  considered  more  pure  and  just  than  those  of  any  other 
period,  and  are  often  proudly  referred  to  by  the  phrase,  loang  laou 
royal  doctrines  ;  or  the  principles  of  the  ancient  tings."  It  is  said, 
the  custom  of  offering  sacrifices  at  the  tombs  of  ancestors  and 
parents,  commenced  about  this  time;  but  the  date  of  it«  origin  is 
uncertain.  The  Shung  and  the  Hea,  are  the  two  earliest  dynasties 
on  record.  They  were  immediately  preceded  by  the  Woo-te,  or  five 
emperors,  a  period  of  much  obscurity,  containing  a  sort  of  patriarchal 
history.'  But  the  most  remote  ages  to  which  history  has  attempted 
to  ascend,  are  those  of  the  Three  Sovereigns  and  the  FabiUoua  Period." 
The  next  general  division  of  the  work  is  "  Geography,"  which 
describes  the  territory,  provinces,  districts,  topography,  revenue, 
stfltisiies,  &c,,  of  the  country  over  which  the  Manchow  Tartar 


DR.    MORRISONS    LITEEARY    LABOURS.  79 

familj  at  present  niles,  together  with  notices  of  foreign  na- 
tions that  have  brought  tribute  to  China,  as  they  stand  on  the 
records  of  the  Board  of  Bites  aad  Ceremonies.  There  are  the 
Dutch  who  are  described  as  inhabiting  "  in  ancient  times  a  wild 
territory,  which  had  no  intercourse  with  China,''  The  nations 
noticed  in  order  by  Dr.  Iforrison  are,  Corea,  Cochtn-China,  the 
Loo-choo  Islands,  Holland,  Siam,  Western  Ocean  (the  name 
assumed  by  Matthew  Ricci  when  he  visited  China  (a.  n.  1580), 
Philippine  Isles,  Tonking,  Russia,  Japan  (which  first  scot  tribute 
in  the  third  century),  Manilla,  Ho.meaou-Ie,  some  islands  near 
Manilla,  Moluccas,  Borneo,  Bengal,  Koo-le,  perhaps  Calcutta, 
Arracan,  Ceylon,  Sumatra,  Cambodjia,  Ava,  &c.  Although  this 
is  a  mere  sketch,  with  a  few  miscellaneous  remarks,  it  is  very  use- 
ful to  BBsist  the  student  of  Chinese  in  ascertaining  the  country  in- 
tended by  Chinese  names,  often  very  dissimilar  to  those  by  which 
they  are  known  to  Europeans,  as  proper  nouns  are  frequently  undis- 
tinguished irom  conuttoa  ones,  the  difficulty  of  deSning  them  is 
thereby  also  increased. 

As  an  introduction  lo  the  third  division  of  the  subject, — '■  Name* 
and  Functions  of  the  Officers  of  Government," — Dr.  Morrison  re- 
marks : — "The  following  sketch,  as  well  as  the  preceding,  is  in- 
tended not  for  political,  but  for  philological  purposes.  Perhaps 
every  student  of  Chinese  has  felt  the  difHculty  arising  from  not 
having  some  brief  analysis  at  hand,  to  enable  him,  when  reading, 
lo  conceive  nearly  of  the  period  of  an  event  referred  to ;  of  the  re- 
lative situation  of  a  place ;  or  of  the  rank  and  duties  of  a  particular 
office.  A  person  who  has  a  native  assistant  at  hand,  can  ge- 
nerally from  him  obtain  enough  of  iuformation  on  such  subjects 
to  enable  him  lo  proceed;  but  to  a  student  in  Europe,  without  a 
native  assistant,  the  difficulty  arising  from  being  unacquainted  with 
what  these  sheets  are  intended  to  supply  (though  but  partially) 
has  always  been  insurmountable.  Hence  no  person  in  Europe 
hiis  succeeded  in  acquiring  the  language  to  any  extent."  Then 
follows  an  account  of  the  difi'erent  officers  of  the  Supreme 
Government  —  thirty-three  in  number — including,  under  the 
Emperor,  who  is  the  source  of  all  authority,  the  Imperial 
Council  Chamber,  or  six  Ministersof  State  ;  the, Han-lin  College, 
instituted  in  the  time  of  Tang  (».  n.  630),  partly  literary,  and 
pardy  political,  of  which  the  descendants  of  Confiiciiis  and  Menciiis 
are  hereditary  members — officers  who  have  the  control  of  her 
Majesty's  and  the  Princes'  household,  the  sis  Boards,  i.  e.  the  Boards 
of  Appomtmeiit,  Revenue,  National  Usages,  Punishments,  and  of 
Public  Works :— the  office  of  examiners  or  censors,  who  superintend 


80  CRITICAL   NOTICES  OF 

the  affairs  of  the  prince,  the  magistracy^  and  the  people,  and  are 
privileged  to  give  information  or  advice  to  the  sovereign  in  writing, 
whenever  they  please.     There  are  also  various  other  persons  ap. 
pointed  to  preside  over  the  schools  and  colleges  of  the  royal 
family.     Of  the  **  Provincial  Grovemment,*^  that  of  Canton,  is  ad- 
duced as  a  specimen,  whose  principal  officers  are  a  governor- 
general,  a  viceroy,  a  literary  officer,  a  superintendent  of  the  revenue, 
a  criminal  judge,  a  superintendant  of  the  salt  trade,  and  another  of 
the  public  granaries.     A  Province  is  divided  into  three  principal 
districts — a  Foo,  a  Chow,  and  a  Heen,  to  each  of  which  chief  and 
subordinate  officers  are  attached,  with  titles  corresponding  to  these 
different  names.      In  Canton  there  is   also  a  commissioner  of 
customs  appointed  by  the  Emperor  to  superintend   the  foreign 
trade.     A  list  of  military  officers,  of  every  grade,  concludes  ^e 
article  on  Government.     The  nine  degrees  of  rank — principal 
and  secondary — ^are  then  noticed,  with  the  badges  by  which  each 
is  distinguished,  and  the  order  in  which  they  are  attached  to 
the  civil  officers,  entitled  to  the  distinction.     Any  of  these  degrees 
may  be  purchased  from  the  government  by  wealthy  individuals, 
whose    influence,  however,    suffers  considerable    diminution  on 
that  account.     Under  the  division,  **  Time,''  the  names  and  order 
of  the  twenty-eight  Chinese  constellations  are  given.    The   twenfy- 
four    "  Terms,'*  of  fifteen  days  each,  into    which  the   year    is 
divided,  mark  the  Seasons,  it  is  said,  more  regularly  than  the  num- 
ber of  their  moons,  and  some  of  them  are  referred  to  as  holidays ; 
a  table  is  given  of  them,  corresponding  with  the  English  names  of 
the  months.     The  twenty-four  hours  are  divided  into  periods  of 
two  hours  each,  to  which  the  characters  of  the   "  Te-chey*'  ter- 
restrial branches  are  applied. 

A  brief  account  of  the  popular  holidays  during  the  year,  is  sup- 
plied under  the  term  "  Festivals,"  while  under  those  of  "  Religion 
and  Mythology,"  there  are  accounts  of  the  three  sects — ^that  of  the 
Learned,  or  Confucian  Sect;  of  Fiih,  or  Buddhism;  and  of  Taou 
or  Reason. 

Brief  accounts  of  ceremonies  relating  to  priests,  marriages,  and, 
fVinerals  are  added ;  and  specimens  of  the  diagrams  by  which  fortune- 
tellers, diviners,  and  others,  succeed  in  deluding  their  countrymen. 
This  volume  is  concluded  with  general  directions  to  the  student  of 
the  language,  who  is  not  supposed  to  have  the  advantage  of  a 
native  teacher.  The  design  of  the  work  throughout  was  the 
Author  says,  **  to  assist  the  Chinese  student,  and  not  to  amuse  the 
general  scholar ;"  and  hence  his  remarks  towards  the  close  on 
the  Chinese  character  generally,  are  such  as  would  more  parti. 


DB.   MOHRISON3  LITERARY  LABOURS. 


81 


^ 


cularly  interest  the  Chinese  scholar.  The  work,  including  aa  index, 
comprises  141  pages  quarto. 

It  will  not  be  necessary  to  enter  into  an;  explanatory  statement  of 
the  nature  of  the  "Chinese  Miscellfiny,"  which  the  Doctor  pub- 
lished in  England,  further  than  to  state  that  it  is  of  the  same  com- 
prehensive and  useful  cIbsb  as  all  his  other  writings,'  conveying 
lound  and  accurate  information  on  the  general  principles  ofthelan- 
piHge  and  literature  of  the  Chinese,  and  on  the  efforts  which  have 
"been  made  by  Europeana,  from  the  earliest  times,  to  cultivate  an 
acquaintance  with  the  works  of  that  extraordinary  people. 

The  next  work  of  importance,  was  a  Vocabulary  of  the  Canton 
Dialect  in  Three  Parts.  Part  the  First  is  English  and  Chinese,  ar- 
ranged according  to  the  alphabet ;  Part  the  Second,  Chinese  and 
English,  arranged  according  to  the  English  mode  of  pronouncing 
Chinese  words ;  Part  the  Third  consists  of  an  "  Appendix  of  Chi- 
nese Words  and  Phrases,  classed  by  Natives."  The  Doctor's  own 
brief  "  Introduction  I "  will  at  once  explain  its  origin  and  design. 
"  This  vocabulary  was  undertaken  in  the  hope  that  the  language 
could  be  communicated  to  Europeans  without  the  Chinese  charac- 
ter; but  it  was  found  that  the  want  of  the  character  made  the  mode 
of  communication  very  imperfect,  unless  the  learner  had  the  con- 
stant assistance  of  a  person  who  already  knew  the  Roman  letters 
and  the  Chinese  language.  To  convey  the  spoken  language  with- 
out the  character  is  not  impracticable,  but  is  difficult,  and  ollen 
embarrassing  to  the  learner :  whereas  the  character  being  pre- 
sented  to  the  eye  of  the  native,  makes  all  simple  and  easy.  The 
writer  therefore  has  failed  in  his  expectation,  and  consequently  has 
not  carried  forward  the  vocabulary  to  the  extent  which  he  would 
Otherwise  have  done.  The  names  of  foreign  articles  of  commerce 
in  Canton  are  very  irregularly  and  variously  written  among  dif- 
ferent shopmen  and  dealers. 

"  Names  of  goods  are  sometimea  entirely  foreign :  at  other  times, 
a  translation  of  foreign  names ;  and  occassionally  they  are  half 
Chinese  and  half  foreign. 

"  The  distinctions  of  silks,  skins,  Sic,  &c.,  are  known  only  to 
the  respective  manufacturers  and  dealers.  To  enquire  among  them 
and  settle  their  nomenclature  was  a  task  for  which  the  writer  wa» 
by  no  means  qualified.  He  requested  assistance  frora  European 
dealers,  and  received  some,  hut  it  wasscfinty  and  defective." 

The  mode  in  which  it  was  received  by  the  Select  Committee  in  China, 
and  the  valuable  objects  it  effected  among  European  residents,  aa 
.Itated  in  the  following  extracts  from  their  official  communication 


82  CRITICAL  NOnCBS  OP 

with  the  HononnUe  Court  of  Directoriy  nipplj  the  best  testi- 
monj  to  its  meritB : — 

**  Par.  12. — Forty  copies  of  a  work  compiled  by  Dr.  Morrison, 
for  the  purpose  of  frcilitrnting  the  scqoisiiioii  of  the  spoken  lan- 
guage of  the  province  of  Canton,  are  forwarded  to  your  Honour- 
able Court  This  work  has  been  divided  into  three  parts,  and 
we  considered  it  desirable  to  wait  the  completion  of  the  whole 
before  we  transmitted  it  to  England.  *  * 

**  16. — ^The  first  division  of  this  work  has  proved  of  the  greatest 
utility,  and  has  been  distributed  amongst  the  shipping  in  the 
present  season,  for  the  purpose  of  effecting  a  medium  of  amicable 
understanding  with  the  natives  of  the  coast,  few  of  whom  are  ac- 
quainted with  the  English  language.  The  second  and  third  parts 
are  more  calculated  for  the  use  of  those  who  have  already  made 
some  progress  in  the  language  ;  but  the  whole  work  is  calculated 
to  give  great  facilities  to  the  acquisition  of  Chinese  by  Europeans, 
and  is  entitled  to  great  praise  for  promoting  the  attainment  of 
that  very  desirable  object.  Although  a  correct  knowledge  of  the 
language  of  this  empire  must  always  remain  a  task  of  hard  labour 
to  foreigners,  a  sufficient  acquaintance  with  it  for  many  useful 
purposes  does  not  hold  out  such  discouraging  obstacles  to  the 
learner.  It  is  an  object  deserving  of  every  encouragement,  upon 
the  principle  that  knowledge  of  the  language  is  power  in  the  inter- 
course of  nations,  while  weakness  is  the  natural  effect  of  ignorance. 
We  hope  that,  through  the  valuable  exertions  that  have  been  made 
by  Dr.  Morrison,  in  a  series  of  years,  to  promote  this  desirable 
object,  the  time  may  arise  when  foreigners  will  conununicate  with 
the  natives  of  this  country  in  Chinese,  instead  of  the  unintelligible 
jargon  at  present  spoken,  under  the  denomination  of  English,  which 
renders  a  perspicuous  explanation  of  ideas  impracticable . 

**  17. — ^We  have  already  noticed  the  compilation  of  this  work 
to  your  Honourable  Comt,  and  have  had  the  honour  to  receive 
your  sanction  to  the  use  of  the  Company's  Press  for  printing  it, 
in  the  correspondence  of  this  season.  We  have  only  here  to  remark, 
that  Dr.  Morrison  has  given  us  an  additional  motive  to  estimate 
the  value  of  his  services,  upon  the  occasion  to  which  these  para- 
graphs have  reference.** 

Dr.  Morrison's  official  duties,  as  translator  of  the  Bristish  Factory, 
extending  through  the  entire  period  of  his  life,  are  of  too  much 
moment  to  pass  unnoticed,  in  a  professed  review  of  his  literary 
labors ;  it  will  not,  however,  be  necessary  to  enter  into  detail,  since 
his  *'  Memoirs  "  supply  constant  illustrations  of  his  unwearied  dili- 


r 


DR.  MORRISONS  LITERARY  LABOURS. 


I 


» 


I 


83 

gence  and  great  success.  Still  the  following  translatioa  of  a  public 
document,  written  in  Chinese  by  Dr.  Morrison,  under  the  authority 
of  the  British  Factory,  at  a  critical  season,  may  tend  further  to  show 
the  kind  of  service  lie  was  called  upon  to  perform,  and  the  mode  of 
statement  usually  adopted  by  the  British ;  especially  since  the  Doctor 
sent  the  original  to  the  writer  as  a  spedmen  of  such  communicatjans. 

■•  PROCLAMATION. " 

The  English  Nations'  Honourable  Company's  Epecialty  appointed 
superintendents  of  trade,  Mr.  Marjoribanka  and  other  gentlemen, 
residing  temporarily  at  Canton,  announce,  that  the  Engliah,  having 
prepared  a  petition  to  their  Excellencies  the  Viceroy,  the  Governor 
of  Canton,  and  the  district  Magistrate,  the  Hong  Merchants  were 
unwilling  to  present  it  for  them.  And  wlien  the  Commandant  of 
the  troops  had  received  it  for  this  purpose,  he  also,  having  examined 
it,  refused  to  transmit  it  to  tlie  proper  authorities. 

Englishmen  come  to  China  for  the  sole  purpose  of  trading,  and 
with  the  single  desire  of  cultivating  amicable  intercourse  with  the 
Chinese ;  but  while  the  English  were  quietly  residing  at  Macao,  their 
factory  at  Canton  was  broken  into,  their  property  destroyed,  and 
their  servants  in  charge  of  their  public  factory  seized  and  im- 
prisoned, under  the  pretence  that  they  were  in  traitorous  connection 
with  the  English.  Moreover,  several  new  regulations  have  been  intro- 
duced of  a  violent  character,  affecting  our  trade,  which  it  is  impossible 
we  should  comply  with.  Wherefore,  the  Eugli^b  make  known  to 
their  countrymen  and  the  inhabitants  of  English  Colonies,  who 
trade  with  China,  that  if  their  grievances  be  not  redressed,  then  all 
commercial  intercourse  between  the  English  and  the  Chinese  must  at 
an  early  period  entirely  close.  Wc,  the  English,  have  no  other 
design  than  to  cultivate  the  most  friendly  feelings  with  the  Ctuaese. 
but  are  determined  not  to  submit  to  tyrannical  authority." 

An  official  letter  to  the  Court  of  Directors,  when  in  England,  seta 
forth  the  nature  and  importance  of  his  services  as  their  Chinese, 
Secretary  and  Translator;  and  is  introduced  here  to  throw  additional 
light  on  the  complex  and  arduous  duties  which  his  literary  acquin>- 
ments  enabled  him  so  successfully  to  discharge. 


84  CRITICAL  NOTICES  OF 


MEMORIAL  TO  THE  HONOURABLE  THE  COURT  OF  DIRECTORS. 
HOKOUBABLB  SiBSy 

From  the  circumstance  of  your  permission  granted  me  to  return 
to  my  duties  in  your  Factory  at  Canton  being  limited  to  three  years, 
it  seems  to  indicate  an  intention  of  dismissal  at  the  close  of  that 
period.  If  such  be  the  meaning  of  the  limitation,  I  beg  leave,  very 
respectfully,  to  remonstrate  against  it,  on  the  following  grounds : — 

During  the  long  period  of  fifteen  years,  I  did  in  China,  often 
with  personal  risk  and  discomfort,  at  the  request  of  your  servants 
there,  serve  the  interests  of  the  Honourable  Company  with  great  de- 
votedness;  and  the  whole  Factory,  as  well  as  the  commercial  native 
population  of  Canton,  can  testify,  with  the  most  beneficial  effects  to 
the  good  understanding  of  the  Chinese,  and  the  general  tranquillity 
of  the  trade. 

Your  Select  Committee,  in  1809,  called  on  me  to  exercise  in  their 
service  a  qualification  which  they  did  not  possess,  and  the  want  of 
which  often  left  them,  as  they  deeply  lamented,  the  dupes  of  false 
verbal  representations  of  native  merchants.  Successive  Committees 
found,  and  bore  testimony  to  the  ability  of  those  services.  Further, 
I  liberally  instructed  others  of  your  servants  in  that  qualification, 
which  they  required  for  conducting  respectably  and  intelligently, 
with  the  native  merchants  and  Chinese  authorities,  the  very  im- 
portant commerce  between  Great  Britain  and  China. 

In  ordinary  cases,  your  servants  in  China  were  enabled,  by  em- 
ploying me,  to  remove  delays  and  difiiculties  to  the  commerce,  by 
a  prompt,  written,  sealed  dociunent,  addressed  respectfully  to  the 
authority  concerned,  made  independently  of  all  native  assistance 
either  for  translating  or  writing ;  which  assistance  could  formerly 
but  rarely  be  obtained,  being  forbidden,  imder  severe  penalties,  by 
the  despotic  local  magistrates ;  and  always,  when  obtained,  owing  to 
the  prevailing  want  of  truth  in  the  natives,  but  little  to  be  de- 
pended on. 

It  was  by  a  prompt  statement  thus  made,  which  the  Hong  Mer- 
chants did  not  dare  to  make  to  the  Governor  of  Canton,  that  a  con- 
siderable amount  of  duties  were  remitted  after  the  late  destructive 
fire. 

I  was  a  principal  instrument,  on  two  occasions,  of  arranging 
speedily  and  successfully,  difficulties  arising  from  unfortunate  ho- 


DR.  Morrison's  literaky  labours.  85 

micidea,  which,  in  former  instances,  had  detained,  at  immente  pe- 
'  cuniary  loss,  whole  fleets  for  months  tog^ether. 

After  I  had  obtained  leave  to  return  to  England,  a  report  of  ho- 
micide arose,  and  the  senior  merchant,  Howqua,  sensible  of  the  im- 
portance of  my  services,  requested  the  Chief  to  detain  me  till  it  waa 
settled. 

These  services,  for  so  long  a  period,  were  rendered  for  a  remune. 
ration  but  small,  compared  with  those  of  your  other  servants  in 
China  and  other  places,  which  has  made  it  appear  to  many  persons 
on  the  spot,  that  I  might  with  justice  claim  from  your  Honourable 
Court  some  further  reward.  But  I  have  not  put  in  any  claim,  I 
have  left  my  case  to  the  justice  and  generosity  of  the  Honourable 

I  came  hither,  after  serving  fifteen  years,  on  leave  of  absence, 
with  recommendations  from  your  authorities  in  China,  as  deserving 
your  particular  favour ;  and  1  now  return  with  something  that 
looks  like  a  mark  of  your  displeasure ;  which,  if  it  be  so,  appears  to 
your  memorialist  wholly  unmerited,  and  he  hereby,  respectfully  and 
humbly,  solicits  that  it  may  be  removed. 

I  have  the  honour  to  be, 

Honourable  Sirs, 

Your  obedient  humble  servant, 

ROBERT  MORRISON. 
S,  Grove,  Hackney,  Nov.  tg,  1825. 

This  will  conclude  our  notices  of  the  Philological  Works  of  Dr. 
Morrison  :  but  before  drawing  those  final  inferences,  which  a  retro- 
spect of  the  whole  naturally  suggests,  I  may  be  allowed  to  advert 
to  one  or  two  circumstances  connected  with  translations  fromEnglisIi 
into  Chinese.  I  regret  that  I  cannot  obtain  a  copy  of  the  "  Do. 
mestic  Instructor,"  as  an  outhne  of  its  character  and  contents  would 
have  shown  (what  the  writer  well  knows  from  other  sources)  the 
successful  care  of  Dr.  Morrison  to  transfuse  sound  and  practical 
theology  into  the  Chinese  symbols.  The  writer  has  before  him  a 
copy  of  the  "  Liturgy  of  the  Church  of  England,"  translated  by  the 
Doctor  into  Chinese,  a  brief  account  of  which  may  not  be  uneccep- 
table.  The  generallitle  is  "The  Text  of  the  Prayers  of  the  English 
Nation's  Divine  Assembly  (church),  generally  Translated  into 
Chinese."  The  special  titles  prefixed  to  the  Morning  and  Evening 
Prayers  are :  "  Year  midste,achday,  Morning  (or  Evening)  Prayer's 
forms;"  or,  in  idiomatic  English,  "Forms  of  Morning  and  Evening 


86  CRITICAL  NOnCEB  OF 

Prayers  throughout  the  Year."  The  translation  is  fiuthftil,  and  the 
phraseology  excellent,  while  the  volume  is  printed  in  the  first  style. 
Our  limits  do  not  admit  of  further  remarks.  I  believe  the  Doctory 
who  was  not  of  the  Established  Communion,  submitted  the  transla- 
tion to  the  revision  of  his  esteemed  friend  Sir  6.  T.  Staunton,  Bart, 
&c.  His  other  works  have,  doubtless,  been  noticed  in  the  pre- 
ceding Memoir,  which  the  writer  cannot  distmctly  analyze. 

It  only  remains  to  call  the  reader's  attention  to  some  important 
inferences  resulting  from,  Dr.  Morrison's  position,  acquirements,  and 
influence : — 

First.  Whatever  he  accomplished  as  an  ard^it  scholar,  a  zealoui 
divine,  and  a  steady  patriot,  owed  its  origin  to  his  'religious  cha* 
racter. 

Secondly.  Notwithstanding  the  charge  of  ignorance  and  inca- 
pacity, constantly  brought  by  worldly  men  of  literary  habits  and 
acquirements  against  Missionaries— and  that  of  wild,  misguided 
fimaticism  against  Missionary  Societies — still  the  vast  labours  and 
rare  attainments  of  Dr.  Morrison  spnmg  entirely  frt>m  Missionary 
zeal,  patronized  and  cherished  by  the  venerable  men  who  founded 
the  London  Missionary  Society. 

Thirdly.  The  direct  influence  of  Dr.  Morrison's  literary  and^'bib- 
lical  labours,  in  connection  with  China,  has  not  only  had  a  mighty 
religious  bearing  on  the  minds  of  many  zealous  men  in  his  own 
country,  America,  and  the  continent  of  Europe,  but  also  on  public 
institutions,  both  literary,  scientific,  conmiercial,  and  religious. 

Fourthly.  The  attainments  of  Dr.  Morrison  have  had  indirect^  yet 
most  effective  influence  on  the  cultivation  of  Chinese  literature.  In 
addition  to  his  own  works,  he  was  the  medium  of  publishing  others 
of  great  value ;  for  example,  the  '*  Notitia  LingufiB  Sinicse,"  printed 
at  the  Anglo  Chinese  College,  at  the  expense  of  the  late  Lord  Kings- 
borough,  a  most  valuable  work,  in  Latin,  on  the  oral  and  written 
language  of  China ;  wherein  every  thing  necessary  to  be  known 
on  the  principles,  and  structure,  and  beauties  of  the  language,  are 
most  copiously  illustrated  by  individual  quotations  in  the  native 
character,  from  the  best  authors.  It  is  a  work  of  the  highest  value ; 
but  unfinished,  though  extending  to  262  quarto  pages.  The 
foimding  of  the  Anglo-Chinese  College,  and  the  numerous  advan- 
tages subsequently  conferred  on  its  libraries,  with  the  periodical 
communications  from  him,  published  in  China  and  Malacca,  all 
testify  the  value  and  extent  of  his  reputation  for  Chinese  know- 
ledge ;  but  these  matters  have  been  fully  developed  in  the  pre- 
ceding biography.  I  cannot,  however,  close  these  remarks  without 
adverting  to  the  magnificent  attempt  to  introduce  the  permanent 


DH.    MiUtmSON's    LITERARY    LABOURS.  87 

cultivatioQ  of  Chinese  literature  in  the  noltle  and  exteiiBiv-e  lilirarjr 
which  employed  him  many  yeara  in  collecting,  and  is  now  placed  in 
University  College,  occeaaibte  to  all  classes  of  students  without  dis- 
tinction. If  it  be  important  to  cultivate  Indian  languages  of  tlie 
alphabetic  kind,  for  purjKises  of  mutual  illuBtxation,  and  of  de- 
fining the  connection  which  sulivets  between  the  Beveral  parent 
tongues  of  the  earth,  it  cannot  but  be  of  equal  moment  to  study  one 
of  the  moat  ancient  tymbolic  tongues,  which  is  understood  by  four 
hundred  milliona  of  people,  of  which  eome  of  thoee  of  neighbouring 
countries  are  probably  only  dialects,  or  at  least  modifications  ;  such 
OS  the  Japanese.  Cochin- Chinese.  Corean,  Cambodgian,  Loo-Oiuan, 
and  others.  But,  independently  of  the  value  of  Chinese,  from 
its  local  influences,  its  genius  ia  so  peculiar,  dispensing  with  sound 
Bs  of  comparatively  minor  importance,  that  it  addresses  the  mind 
immediately  through  the  eye ;  and  hence,  so  long  as  it  is  excluded 
from  the  usual  course  of  philological  studies,  the  philoeopby  of  Ian. 
guage  is  necessarily  incomplete.  Effects  the  moBt  opposite  have 
resulted  from  its  unique  symbols  and  original  structure.  The  Chi. 
nese,  aware  of  its  dissimilarity  to  other  tongues,  at  once  claim  (or  it 
a  celestial  origin  :  while  by  foreigners,  who  have  not  studied  it.  it  ia 
too  generally  regarded  as  inexplicable  and  uaelesa.  Surely,  when 
there  is  every  reason  to  suppoee  it  to  have  been  connected  with  the 
ancient  Egyptian,  and  to  be  the  only  one  likely  to  shed  light  on  tliose 
hitherto  obscure  hleroglyplucs,  while  it  is  adapted  to  extend  our 
acquaintance  with  the  philosophy  of  mind  and  morals,  it  ia  high 
time  to  entertain  more  rational  views  of  such  a  medium  of  inter- 
ooutse ;  which,  although  no  attainments  in  the  knowledge  of  com- 
parative grammar  can  ever  elucidate  it,  is  uodcntood  by  more  than 
one-thinl  of  the  human  mce. 


I,  It;  «AB*in  mhab 


AUTHOR  O 


TO   BE    PUBLISHED    BY   SUBSCRIPT  r  ON. 
In  Two  VolumeSf  Hvo.,  price  ii.  5s., 


HISTORY  OF   CHINA, 

By  p.  p.  THOMS, 


riiis  work,  which  hu  been  tranBlated  fram  the  beat  Cbineae  hiatoriaiis  and 
other  n-ntera,  comoieiicet  with  the  reign  of  Fuh-he,  {according  to  their  ehro- 
rology.  B.C.  3000.)  and  is  continuaJ  to  the  time  otMing-te.  (a.o.  30o,)  giving 
a  connected  history  of  the  reigns  of  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-five  Emperore,  ■ 
period  that  ia  proudly  referred  to  by  the  Staieemin,  the  Warrior,  and  the  Moralist, 
of  all  tucceeding  ages.  It  iriD  be  found  to  contain  alt  the,  important  informa- 
tion of  this  early  period  as  known  by  tht  Chinese.  From  the  time  of  Tnng-yaou. 
(B.C.  3330,)  the  work  enlera  minalely  into  the  principal  events  of  theysar/y  oc- 
currmcn  of  the  government — the  public  and  private  lives  of  the  emperors — court 
mtrigues — the  annual  enitctments  of  the  government — ita  religion — the  speeches 
of  its  etalesmen — itg  wars,  massacres,  and  revolutions — the  saccesaive  decline 
and  prosperity  of  the  empire — its  mode  of  ancient  warbr«— tpeeches  of  its  ge- 
nerals— government  documents,  &c,.  Sec,  no  part  of  irbicb,  with  the  exception  of 
a  few  leading  events,  have  ever  been  published. 

•,■    ILLUSTRATED  WITU    MANY  DBAWINGB. 
Thii  nock  Ki 


finounced  for  publication  in  1829,  bat  waa  poitponed  from  nnaToidable 

eircumitancet.     The  Author  wiii  then  hoaoured  by  tbe  following 

digCingiusbed  liit  of  Sabicriber*  : — 

H»  HAJB8TY  OB0BO8  IV.,(torthe  SarUUbniTi  Wlndaor,)  TweOoplM. 

HIS    ROYAL   HIOHNBSS  THE  DCKS  OF  StJSSBX.  OnrOopf 

HIS   OBACK   THE   ARCUBISUOP    OP   CANTBHBCRV.    Om  Ctpi. 

HIS  GRACE  THE  DUKE  OP  BBOPORD,  OmOn- 

HIS  OttACB  THE  D0KE  OF  HARLBOROUQU,  0-cC«i». 

THE    HON.  COUBT  DP   DIRECTORS  OP  THE  BABT   INDIA  COMPANY.   Patf  Ctput, 

THE  moUT  HON.  EARL  OF  BUCKINOHAUSHIRB.  Om  Copy- 


F  CARLISLE 


THE  RIGHT  BON.  I 


THE  RIGHT  HON.  EARL  OF  LONBDALB 

THB  RIGHT  HON.  EARL  OF  HARHOWBV 

THE  RIGHT  HON.  BABL  OF  ROSSLYN 

THE  RIGHT  HON.  EAEL  FERRERS 

THE  RIGHT  HON.  LORD  ELLKNBOROUGH 

THE  RIGHT  HON.  LORD  VISCOUNT  BEBESPORD 

THB  BIGHT  HON.  LORO  BOLLE 

THE  RIGHT  HON.  LORD  LYTTLETON 

SIR  GBORGE  T.  STAUNTON,  BART. 

SIR  HENRY  HALFORD,  BART. 

BIB  JOHN  BARING.  BART. 

REV.  PROFESSOR  LEE 

J.  F.  KLPUIMSTON.  ESQ. 

H.  CASAH  MOREAO 

J.  F.  UAVI8.  ESQ. 

NATHANIEL  CLARKSON.  B6Q. 

JOHN  B.  1NGLI8.  ESQ. 

THOMAS  J.  PBrTTIGEew,  EML 

HENBV  BlITLIN.  ESO,  « 

W.  HUTTMAN,  ESQ  M 

J.  MARSHALL.  ESa.  it 

J.   HOPKINS,  EStt.  *. 

•^   The  names  of  Subteriber*  will  be  IkmtlffuUy  rtetived  bg  tke  Julltor, 
12,  IVarmick  Square,  London,  or  tkromsh  Ikeir  BookitUer$. 


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